ECOC is the leading conference on optical communication in Europe, attracting more than 1,000 participants each year and an exhibition space of more than 10,000 m2. The latest advances in optical communication technologies are reported, from fibres, components and systems up to networks. ECOC should not be missed by anyone interested in optical communication, such as researchers, product developers, sales managers and telecommunication market developers. Leading-edge technical progress will be reported in carefully selected papers featuring a blend of keynote addresses, invited and regularly contributed papers, tutorial papers, and special symposia that place a specific theme into focus.