Corning began work on glass fibers for communications in the 1960s, spurred on by the interest of the British Post Office. Drs. Robert Maurer, Donald Keck and Peter Schultz formed a team to explore the possibility of low-loss, strong optical fiber–in a race against other large communications companies like AT&T, bent on similar research.
The breakthrough came in 1970, when they developed the first optical fiber capable of maintaining the strength of laser light signals over significant distances. This innovation paved the way for the commercialization of fiber optics for telecommunications and placed Corning at the cutting-edge of the industry.
Decades later, Corning maintains its position of worldwide leadership, with even more innovations in optical fiber.