In contrast to the glass optical fiber business, the Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) business in 2008 is booming. There is an excitement in the air that is causing companies to reassess their strategies with regard to POF. New companies are entering the field from China, Taiwan, Japan, U.S, Canada, Europe Korea, Australia and Ireland as an indication of the widespread interest in POF.

There are a number of reasons driving the interest in POF including:

• Need for low cost optical solutions.
  
• Acceptance of the MOST standard for auto POF databuses by IG European automobile manufacturers.
  
• Recent approval of the 1394b standard which increases distance between Modes to 100m at speeds up to 3.29bps.
  
• Wide interest in POF across many applications such as automation, consumer, industrial controls, interconnect, medical and now homeland security.
  
• Technical developments in resonant cavity LED's, VCSELs, graded index PMMA and PF fibers.