FREMONT, Calif., Feb. 12 -- The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has created a Carrier Working Group to foster and address carrier-specific technical recommendations. Approved by the membership at its January 31, 2001 quarterly meeting, the new working group will provide a technical forum for OIF's growing roster of carrier members. The move is indicative of the strong interest among carriers in working to establish standards that will benefit the entire industry. "Our carrier members have been active participants in our working groups," said Adam Dunstan, president of OIF. "The establishment of a formal working group is recognition of their key role in developing relevant interoperability agreements for next generation optical networks."