Abstract

Optical amplifiers and wavelength-multiplexing technology are transforming lightwave communications by providing cost-effective upgrades that will increase immensely the transmission capacity of long-distance telecommunications networks. A new generation of undersea-cable systems using fiber optical amplifiers as repeaters has been developed for transoceanic applications, yielding a capacity almost ten times larger than present systems which employ optoelectronic regenerative repeaters. Wavelength-multiplexed multichannel transmission and networking promise further enhancements. Terrestrial long-haul networks will benefit significantly form amplified wavelength-multiplexed transmission systems designed to access the large inherent bandwidth in the installed fiber. The ten-to-fifty fold capacity increase will not only provide for ample and graceful growth, but also allow flexibility in network design and restoration management. In addition, optical transparency will be exploited to enable novel add/drop and routing of traffic. Hence the future lightwave network, transformed from today's network, will offer unprecedented opportunities to expand service offerings and to reduce operating cost, thus hastening the realization of the full potential of lightwave communications.

© 1995 IEEE