Optical communications becomes an industry stalwart - [Guest editorial]

Welcome to the 2009 special OFC/NFOEC edition of the Optical Communication Series (OCS). Once again this year, we continue the annual tradition of publishing an extra fifth "quarterly" installment of OCS timed to coincide with OFC/NFOEC. For this special issue, we scout the world for columns and articles from industry experts on optical communication topics that will be hot at the show as well as for the rest of year.