A wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network with cost-shared components

Abstract
We demonstrate a passive optical network (PON), based on a wavelength-division multiplexing router, with modulators (instead of lasers) at the subscriber terminals. A single, cost-shared, tunable laser is time-division multiplexed to provide bidirectional switched WDM services for N subscribers with independent formats and bit-rates for each. Simultaneous support of telephony and compressed digital video are presented in which RF subcarrier multiplexing is used to provide service segregation and resolve upstream packet contention.