As multiple forms of traffic continue to place increasingly heavy burdens on fiber networks, users are looking for innovative ways to push more data through existing fiber. DWDM systems offer an attractive, cost-effective way for the telecommunications industry to expand network bandwidth. This new technology allows telecom operators to meet ever-growing requirements for new services and have greater flexibility in the provision of these services. DWDM also gives service providers the flexibility to expand capacity in any portion of their networks-an advantage no other technology can offer.
Carriers can address specific problem areas that are congested because of high-capacity demands.
The acceleration in demand for Internet services is driving the growth of data traffic worldwide. Analysts estimate that while annual growth in voice traffic proceeds at a steady rate of between 5 and 10 percent, data traffic is forging ahead at a rate of 35 percent per year in North America. By the turn of the century, the majority of traffic will be data. The installation of more fiber has been a traditional choice in the face of growing demand for bandwidth. The technology is able to tap into the ability of optical fiber to carry trillions of bits of information, without the need to lay new cable or upgrade existing infrastructure.