Leb: It is becoming clear POET's future actions on the OI, including mass production and announcements that the OI can be prototyped by customers for external qualification, rest on the fate of this deal.

The OI will never be prototyped by customers unless POET provides them with a technology transfer under license or they buy out POET.

And remember POET plans to use DL as a supplier for laser and detector active die. All components (including those supplied from DL) are expected to have completed qualification by the end of the year. Assembly and test takes place somewhere else at the subcons in Thailand, Malaysia…The exception being the laser that has been developed to provide a light source directly into silicon. I would also very much expect that once POET moves to on board optics that there will be additional joint ventures with new suppliers. Maybe the DL relationship will be expanded for that purpose out of the new fab built in China but I would not be surprised to see POET further diversify suppliers (and they may already be planning that move as we speak).

And what about the Tier 1 customer who is paying for the design-in for their 400G optical module?  I would think they will be a little put out if everything is relying on the Chinese and that reliability comes into question? According to the information we have been given POET is being pulled along in order to meet the requirements in their roadmap. It is hard to imagine them going back to the drawing board when they have POET providing a platform that meets their needs so effectively.

If the Chinese fail to complete the sale it will have been a big fat waste of time and money for them. POET keeps the money and the shares are returned to POET as Rick pointed out. It would be a big fat headache but this technology is not going away. I believe industry is counting on POET being successful in their commercialization efforts.