The history of xWDM: from idea to implementation

One of the key innovative breakthroughs in the field of telecommunications has become xWDM technology, which is used to increase the transmission capacity of the existing fiber optic network. It is thanks to this technology that we can now enjoy reliable data flow and see a continuous increase in the capacity of fiber optic lines.

But what is the history of the origin of xWDM technology? Few people know how to answer this question, hence today we will introduce you to its development path.

The history of xWDM: from idea to implementation

Beginnings

The xWDM (wavelength-division multiplexing) technology has its origins in 1958, when the idea of multiplexing optical signals was born – a technique that divides the available bandwidth in a transmission medium into a series of non-overlapping bands. Each of these is then used to transmit a separate signal.  As a result, the technique makes it possible to transmit multiple independent signals using a single shared unit of a given transmission medium.

The breakthrough

In the late 1980s there was a breakthrough caused by the invention of the optical coupler. This device initiated the development of technology in the field of multi-channel bidirectionality and routing.

Implementation

June 12th, 1996 marked a milestone in the history of xWDM. Ciena conducted the first commercial WDM deployment with a Sprint customer. MultiWave 1600 was installed over a 200-kilometer Midwest route. However, this was just the beginning, as in the following years the technology covered the customer’s entire fiber network.

Development

In the second half of the 1990s, WDM underwent further developments. Further systems were introduced to the market, such as MultiWave 1600, OADM, MultiWave Sentry, and support for a 10 Gbit/s channel. This made WDM technology widely recognized as a benchmark in terms of efficiency, reliability, and ease of use.

In the following years, the division of xWDM technologies into CWDM and DWDM was standardized, as well as the optical channel division available in them (ITU-T G.694.2 and ITU-T G.694.1). The described technologies are still being developed and implemented today.

xWDM is now a stable, fast, and reliable data transmission solution widely used by telecommunications operators. This technology allows them to optimize the use of their network resources as a result of increased efficiency in the use of fiber optic infrastructure.

Sound interesting? Reach out to us and we’ll advise you which xWDM system interconnection architecture will be most beneficial for you.