Wafer fusion vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology has produced devices that successfully passed all mechanical and electrical Telcordia qualification tests. Accelerated lifetime tests result in times to 1% failure at 70 degrees C of 18 years and 30 years at VCSEL driving currents of 9 and 8 mA, respectively. These lifetimes meet the telecom industry reliability requirements for applications in fiber-optic communications networks.