Making optical networking feel like cycling downhill
Friday, June 18, 2021 at 11:03AM BT’s chief architect, Neil McRae, is a fervent believer in the internet, a technology built on the continual progress of optical networking. He discussed both topics during his invited talk at the recent OFC 2021 virtual conference and exhibition.
Neil McRae’s advocacy of the internet as an educational tool for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds stems from his childhood experiences.
Neil McRae
“When I was a kid, I lived in a deprived area and the only thing that I could do was go to the library,” says McRae, chief architect and managing director for architecture and technology strategy at BT.
His first thought on discovering the internet was just how much there was to read.
“If I’m honest, everything I’ve learnt in technology has been pretty much self-taught,” says McRae.
This is why he so values the internet. It has given him a career where he has travelled widely and worked with talented and creative people.
