There is no explanation on how Dylan is qualifying any comparison to existing traditional technologies. Suresh has been alerted and as I understand they will attempt to contact Dylan to qualify any conclusions/assumptions he has made about POET.
One possible explanation: When new technologies are introduced to the market the start up costs are generally very high to set up production. Since existing production which has long since been paid for with established facilities and supply has to be retired or repurposed the owners will drop their costs to stay competitive and keep their workforce employed until they have had time to switch to the new platform.
Consider the goals of POET at this time. The small form factor of POET optical engines and the flexible architecture allows a move to higher data rates that cannot be achieved with existing systems. This is why the big companies are looking to POET to supply their roadmap. No one else can fit a 1.6T module into a pluggable form factor and do it with adequate spacing to allow for efficient heat dissipation. Suresh has stated that existing 800G pluggables are an example of engineering excellence. Every bit of space is occupied for it to work. So existing suppliers have reached their limit with pluggable form factors. A new platform technology is required.
POET has developed the optical interposer platform at a fraction of the cost on a shoestring budget. Not you typical new platform by any means.