Giga,

400G products have been available for a while now (over a year). Cisco will have a solution with or without us. But the costs are high and if Poet comes along with a cheaper, better product they will move of course move to that. Luckily the demand that drives the move to 400G has been delayed (5G delays, China-US politics, and high 400G prices holding back datacenters.) but will be unleashed soon. This aligns with the timing of the POET transciever and hopefully allows us to catch the full demand wave. It is not about today's announcment (Cisco will not be touting the release of a product before it is qualified!), it is about the economics of the coming demand wave and Poet's ability to have a product (soon, i..e in the next 6 months) that best addresses these needs. 

This is not to say it has to be Cisco, just no reason why it couldn't be.

FYI, If you want to buy some 400G transcievers for friends and family, you can pick them up here.

https://www.fs.com/c/400g-100g-25g-transceivers-889

rogue