Marvell has put itself squarely in the AI race by refocusing its efforts on developing data center products and solutions. One of those key areas is co-packaged optics (CPO). Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) integrates optical components (lasers, photodetectors) directly with electrical processing chips (ASICs) in the same package, overcoming limitations of traditional pluggable modules by drastically shortening signal paths.

Having divested other assets, including its automotive business, Marvell is positioning itself in the data center industry. The company made two key acquisitions in 2025 to bolster its data center capabilities: Celestial AI and XConn Technologies. Celestial AI’s Photonic Fabric technology platform enables optical I/O for package-, system-, and rack-level connectivity in data center infrastructure. Marvell’s acquisition of XConn broadens its data center switching portfolio with PCIe and CXL products, supporting next-generation AI and cloud infrastructure. Earlier in the year, it debuted a custom AI accelerator (XPU) architecture with integrated co-packaged optics (CPO) technology.

In this new podcast, we talked to Rishi Chugh, Vice President and General Manager, Data Center Switch Business Unit, with Marvell.

Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments:

Opening | 0:00

Host introduction of guests | 0:03

Marvell's push into the data center market | 0:35 Chugh addresses how Marvell has deep roots in the switching and connectivity side of the industry.

The co-packaged optics CPO opportunity | 2:22 How CPO has become a natural progression for Marvell.

CPO’s influence on power | 5:24 Addressing how CPO can achieve greater efficiency.

Data center scale-up | 6:47 The role of scale-up systems in the development of CPO and other technologies.

CPO skill sets | 8:33 CPO’s success will require a range of skill sets, power delivery, cooling, cable management, connectors, and optics working in concert.

Complementing CPO | 10:40 How scale-up technologies and CPO will work in tandem with switching technologies and Network Interface Cards (NICs) in scale-up scenarios.

Final thoughts/closing | 13:04 Rishi Chugh shares his final thoughts about how Marvell is collaborating with equipment manufacturers, interconnect companies and fiber manufacturers to ensure that there’s an infrastructure for delivering a successful CPO-based system.

About our guest Rishi Chugh currently serves as Vice President and General Manager of the Data Center Switch Business Unit at Marvell. Before joining Marvell, he served as Vice President of Product Marketing at Cadence Design Systems and Senior Director of Product Marketing at Cavium, Inc., with a focus on ARM Server CPUs. His career also includes significant roles at Broadcom, Altera, and LSI Logic Corporation, where Rishi contributed to product strategy, market analysis, and product lifecycle management in the networking and semiconductor industries. He holds an MBA in Marketing from Santa Clara University, an MS in Electrical Engineering with a focus on VLSI Design from San Jose State University, and an undergraduate degree in Electronics from Thadomal Shahani Engineering College.

In this new podcast, we talked to Rishi Chugh, VP and General Manager of Data Sense Data Center Switch Business Unit with Marvell.

About the Podcast In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.

Ripple Fiber sees an opportunity to address America’s underinvestment in fiber broadband infrastructure. The company, founded by broadband entrepreneur Greg Wilson, views itself as a disruptor in the U.S. fiber broadband market.

In this latest episode, we talked with Greg Wilson, founder and CEO of Ripple Fiber, a Charlotte-based independent fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) provider founded in 2021.

Greg leads the company's expansion, which aims to build 1.5 million new passings across 15 states over the next five years, following a 2025 merger with fellow fiber broadband provider Hyperfiber.

Here's a timeline of the interview's key moments:

Opening | 0:00

Host introduction of guests | 0:03

Ripple Fiber's emergence | 0:39 Wilson notes that underinvestment in the nation’s fiber networks has left the door open for disruptors like Ripple to deploy new broadband infrastructure.

The Ripple Fiber brand | 2:15 With a focus on optimism, the Ripple Fiber brand centers on how communities can create opportunities through fiber.

A local feel | 3:42 Unlike traditional cable operators and telcos, Ripple focuses on establishing a strong local presence in each market it serves.

Working with communities | 5:14 How Ripple Fiber will engage with community leaders to understand their priorities.

Broadband competition | 6:59 Ripple Fiber is looking to be honest with its customers with straightforward pricing, no hidden costs and no bandwidth restrictions.

Cable’s response | 8:52 In the markets Ripple enters, the provider sees local cable operators upgrading their DOCSIS platforms and implementing enhanced retention strategies but not building out fiber-based broadband.

Ripple Fiber’s expansion strategy | 9:54 The company has created an advanced data set and algorithm to identify underserved and unserved broadband markets.

Broadband provider consolidation |12:04 Wilson predicts that 2026 will be a busy year for mergers and acquisitions in the fiber broadband market.

Fiber broadband speeds |12:51 Wilson notes that its fiber network supports 10 Gbps and that it will release a new 5 Gbps product soon.

Business services |14:22 While Ripple Fiber has focused on residential customers, the service provider plans to launch a business-grade service soon.

Wholesale services | 16:06 Today, Ripple Fiber’s focus is on providing fiber broadband to homes and businesses, but Wilson said it has the network capability to address data centers, enterprises and wireless backhaul opportunities as they arise.

Convergence | 17:15 Ripple plans to keep its product set simple with a continual focus on providing high-speed fiber-based broadband services.

Fiber shortages |17:38 While there have been reports of fiber shortages, Ripple Fiber maintains that, because it has already planned with its supplier, it does not foresee any issues.

Final thoughts | 18:44 Greg Wilson shares his final thoughts about Ripple Fiber’s disruptive approach to the fiber broadband market.

About the Podcast In the Lightwave Broadband Pulse podcast, we address key issues affecting the optical and broadband industries. Join us every week for insights from industry leaders on these topics. Visit our website at www.lightwave.com and click on our podcast site at www.broadbandpulse.podbean.com/.