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John George

Senior Director, Applications Engineering

 

 

Nominee Questionnaire

 

Please provide a short bio for voters to get to know you.  

John George has served with AT&T, Lucent Technologies/Bell Labs, OFS and now Lightera for 42 years. Lightera designs, develops, and manufactures optical fiber, fiber optic cable, connectivity, and specialty fiber solutions. He currently leads Lightera’s Business Development, Applications Engineering, and Fusion Splicer teams. John has published and presented in various forums, served on the Fiber Broadband Association’s Board of Directors, and currently chairs the FBA Technology Committee. John is located in the Lightera optical fiber manufacturing facility in Norcross, GA. He has a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Science in Engineering Administration from Virginia Tech and holds 10 patents. 

 

Please summarize why you consider yourself an excellent candidate for the FBA Board of Directors? 

I have the experience, motivation, and vision to guide the FBA in its mission to accelerate the deployment of all-fiber networks to all in America and enable communities to leverage the economic and societal benefits of fiber-optic technology. I have been consistently supporting the FTTH Council (now FBA) since its founding year in 2001, guiding the education program, serving on the Board of Directors, and as Chair of the Technology Committee.  

My deep understanding of FTTH Technologies and applications, and active participation in the industry serving leading deployments from the beginnings of FTTH give me valuable perspective on how the FBA can more effectively achieve its goals and mission. In addition, I will apply knowledge of AI fiber architectures and requirements to help guide FBA toward facilitating the fiber deployments essential to enable the promise of AI across America. 

 

Describe your current position and functional responsibilities to your company.  

I lead a team responsible for Business Development, Applications Engineering, and Fusion Splicers. We cover applications including Fiber Broadband, Data Centers, Artificial Intelligence, and Advanced Networks using new emerging fiber technologies including hollow core and multicore fiber and fiber optic sensing.  

  

What was your previous position, and how long did you hold that position before transitioning to your current one? 

From 2005 – 2008 I led a team developing FTTH solutions.  

 

Do you have any experience as a member of a Board of Directors? If so please provide name of the entity and number of years of which you served.  

FTTH Council/FBA for 11 years from 2008 – 2018.  

 

How many years has your company been a Fiber Broadband Association Member? 

24 years and counting, first as Lucent, then OFS, and now as Lightera. 

 

How many years have you participated in Fiber Broadband Association activities? 

24 Years

 

Please indicate any Fiber Broadband Association Committees or working groups you have participated on including position and years served. 

Member of Conference Education Committee for 24 years. 

Member of Technology committee for 20 years from the beginning through 2019. 

Chair of Technology Committee 5 years from 2020 – present. 

Member of Public Policy Committee for 3 years since its inception. 

Member of Artificial Intelligence Committee for 1 year since its inception. 

Member of Middle Mile Committee. 

  

Please list any Fiber Broadband Association Contributions (activities supported, assets developed, documents drafted, webinars presented, etc.) 

Technology Committee White Papers: 

  • FTTH Opex Comparison and Advantages  
  • The Road to 5G is Paved with Fiber  
  • Fiber Technology Guidelines for MDUs  
  • FTTH vs. LEO Satellite Broadband  
  • Fiber Broadband Can Close the Digital Divide  
  • Fiber Scalability and Longevity  
  • The Benefits of Retiring Copper Today 
  • Fiber Enabled Rural Health Care (Oct 2025)  

Webinars 

  • Webinars for the White Papers above. 
  • The Underappreciated Need to Enable AI and Data Center Growth: INCREASED AND MORE STRATEGIC FIBER INTERCONNECTIONS 

Advocacy 

  • Various Advocacy Briefs for Public Policy 
  • Fiber Day on the Hill Content, Exhibition and Lobby 3 years 2023 – 2025. 
  • FBA Fly-in Lobby 2024 and 2025. 

 

Please provide a short overview of your experience with telecommunications, fiber optics, and FTTH technologies. 

John has helped develop new technologies for FTTH, Data Center, and Enterprise applications, including 10 Gigabit Multimode fiber, bend insensitive single-mode fiber, low visibility fiber solutions for MDU deployments, fiber optic sensing and holds 10 patents. John actively participated in the creation of key IEEE 802.3 standards including 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and Ethernet in the First Mile. John has a deep understanding of FTTH technologies and capabilities including GPON, Active Ethernet, RFoG, XGS-PON, NG-PON2, 25G/50G/100G-PON. John’s team at Lightera configures FTTH cabling system solutions for customers unique needs and provides training on the installation and applications for these solutions.  John has published over 30 articles and papers relating to optical fiber technology and FTTH. John also understands the capabilities of alternative broadband technologies such as wireless, HFC, Satellite, and xDSL. 

 

Please describe the goals you would like to accomplish during your term as Fiber Broadband Association Board Member. 

FBA has succeeded over the years facilitating the deployment of fiber broadband to over half of America, and through private investment, BEAD, and other programs we expect 80 – 90 percent of households will have fiber available by 2030. Much of this success has been enabled by the FBAs efforts since 2001.  

With fiber penetration nearing 100% FBA will need an objective, strategy, and plan to continue serving its members. Going forward I will work with the BOD to  

1) Facilitate the fiber build necessary to support AI which elevates human productivity and experience.  

2) Help complete the public and private fiber deployment that offers all in America the benefits of fiber broadband  

3) Accelerate copper replacement with fiber 

4) Enable FBA members and Communities to benefit from fiber broadband, AI, sensing, and new applications.  

 

Please describe the level of commitment (in terms of time and effort) that you intend to make to the Association during the three-year term. 

I am fully committed to support and participate in the BOD meetings and support the BOD as required. 

If I elected, I would offer the Technology Chairmanship to a successor and would be willing to serve as technology committee liaison and AI committee liaison.

 

Please use this space to include any additional information you feel is important to share with voting members.   

It would be an honor and a privilege to serve on the FBAs Board of Directors to help improve our member’s businesses while helping FBA achieve its mission to bring fiber wherever it needs be to benefit America.