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VIDEO: What Is DWDM?

Posted by Larry Legg on Oct 14, 2020

A long aisle in a data center with optical equipment on both side and at the end

WDM technology can help network operators overcome fiber shortage challenges. This video explores DWDM, one of two types of WDM technology that can help you increase bandwidth without expanding your fiber plant.

DWDM stands for Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing. DWDM offers many more channels than coarse WDM or CWDm.

Even though the DWDM spectrum is only two dozen nanometers wide, it can squeeze in well over 40 channels:A chart showing DWDM spectrum and its potential 40 channels

The advantage of DWDM is that it can give you a lot of room to grow. Even if you’re only going to light 4 channels your mux/demux could hold an additional 4, 12, 36, or more channels for future capacity. And at the rate your network is growing, you’ll be lighting those channels sooner than you think.

DWDM is more effective over longer distances, sometimes up to hundreds of kilometers if correct amplification and dispersion compensation are calibrated.

To get started on your DWDM journey, schedule a preliminary consultation with our experts so they can identify the right solutions for your network.