Behind every video call, research breakthrough, and online classroom in Oklahoma, there’s a network few people ever see, but everyone depends on. At the core of that system are OneNet’s optical engineers, the professionals responsible for moving massive amounts of data across the state at the speed of light.

Bruce Gordon

For Optical Network Engineer Bruce Gordon, the work begins at the very foundation of connectivity.

“Every email, video call, and dataset travel through fiber optic cables as pulses of light,” he explains. “My job is to design, operate, and maintain the systems that carry those signals across long distances.” Using advanced technologies such as DWDM systems, ROADMs, and optical amplifiers, Gordon helps ensure that a single fiber can carry dozens of high-capacity wavelengths, each transmitting data at 100G, 400G, and beyond.

His work focuses on OneNet’s optical backbone, the infrastructure connecting universities, healthcare systems, and public service organizations across Oklahoma. Whether he’s provisioning new circuits, monitoring signal performance, or troubleshooting unexpected drops in optical power, no two days are the same. In one instance, Gordon analyzed signal data across a long fiber span and pinpointed the precise location of damage, which field technicians later confirmed.

“You can learn a lot just by studying how light behaves in the network,” he says.

Robert Prince

While Gordon designs and maintains the backbone, Optical Support Engineer Robert Prince ensures those designs come to life in the field. Acting as a bridge between engineering, operations, and on-the-ground teams, Prince plays a key role in keeping the network running smoothly.

“My main goal is to make the optical engineers’ jobs easier,” he says. “I’m all about Team OneNet helping everyone perform at their best.”

Prince’s days often begin by reviewing network alarms and overnight trouble tickets before shifting into a wide range of tasks, from testing fiber infrastructure across the state to integrating new nodes that expand network capacity. He also works closely with field technicians, helping resolve access issues and ensuring installations meet engineering standards. His role is hands-on, dynamic, and essential to maintaining a reliable physical network.

Meaningful Impact

Both engineers emphasize that troubleshooting is one of the most demanding and rewarding parts of the job. Optical signals can travel hundreds of miles through complex systems of amplifiers and fiber segments, making even a small disruption difficult to resolve without deep analysis and coordination.

“It’s like technical detective work,” Gordon explains.

Prince agrees, adding that success in the field depends less on immediately knowing the answer and more on the ability to find it through testing, patience, and critical thinking.

Together, their work supports the critical services that Oklahomans rely on every day. From enabling telemedicine in rural communities to powering research collaboration and digital learning, OneNet’s optical network serves as the state’s high-capacity digital backbone.

“Most people never see it,” Gordon notes, “but it supports everything they depend on.”

As demand for data continues to grow, so does the importance of their work. Emerging technologies like 400G and 800G optics are pushing the limits of fiber networks, opening new possibilities for education, innovation, and connectivity across the state.

For both Gordon and Prince, that impact is what makes the work meaningful. Whether designing the highways of the internet or ensuring they function flawlessly in real time, they are helping build the future of communication in Oklahoma, one pulse of light at a time.

Next read how OneNet is creating a path to 800G and beyond.