Method for receiving a modulated, in particular amplitude-modulated, optical reception signal (S o,R), preferably generated by modulation of light (S L) of a laser, - with a transmission unit comprising a laser with an electrical input for control of the laser beam (I L) as well as the frequency of the light (S L) emitted from the laser, the laser having an optical laser output, as well as, downstream of the laser output, an electro-absorption modulator, which has an electrical modulation terminal, - wherein the laser is directed at the electro-absorption modulator and the light (S L) of the laser is guided through the electro-absorption modulator and coupled into an optical waveguide at an optical terminal of the electro-absorption modulator, characterised in that - the received optical reception signal (S o,R), with an optical frequency within a specified optical frequency range, is directed via the optical waveguide through the electro-absorption modulator onto the laser, - by driving the electrical input, the laser is pre-set to a specified optical frequency (f L), which lies within an optical frequency range, which in particular is within +/- 1 GHz around the optical frequency (f R) of the received optical reception signal (S o,R), - on the basis of the irradiation of the optical reception signal (S o,R) onto the laser, the optical frequency (f L) of the light emitted by the laser is adapted and/or matched to the optical frequency (f R) of the received optical reception signal (S o,R), - the light (S L) emitted from the laser and the optical reception signal (S o,R) received via the optical waveguide are superimposed in the electro-absorption modulator, the superposition signal thus generated is converted into an electrical reception signal (I R), in particular into an electrical current signal (I R), that preferably corresponds to the current flow (I R) at the electrical modulation terminal of the electro-absorption modulator, and - a reception signal (S R) is made available, which corresponds to the electrical reception signal (I R) or is derived therefrom, and is kept available at a signal terminal, in particular as a current or voltage signal. - with a transmission unit comprising a laser with an electrical input for control of the laser beam (I L) as well as the frequency of the light (S L) emitted from the laser, the laser having an optical laser output, as well as, downstream of the laser output, an electro-absorption modulator, which has an electrical modulation terminal, - wherein the laser is directed at the electro-absorption modulator and the light (S L) of the laser is guided through the electro-absorption modulator and coupled into an optical waveguide at an optical terminal of the electro-absorption modulator, characterised in that - the received optical reception signal (S o,R), with an optical frequency within a specified optical frequency range, is directed via the optical waveguide through the electro-absorption modulator onto the laser, - by driving the electrical input, the laser is pre-set to a specified optical frequency (f L), which lies within an optical frequency range, which in particular is within +/- 1 GHz around the optical frequency (f R) of the received optical reception signal (S o,R), - on the basis of the irradiation of the optical reception signal (S o,R) onto the laser, the optical frequency (f L) of the light emitted by the laser is adapted and/or matched to the optical frequency (f R) of the received optical reception signal (S o,R), - the light (S L) emitted from the laser and the optical reception signal (S o,R) received via the optical waveguide are superimposed in the electro-absorption modulator, the superposition signal thus generated is converted into an electrical reception signal (I R), in particular into an electrical current signal (I R), that preferably corresponds to the current flow (I R) at the electrical modulation terminal of the electro-absorption modulator, and - a reception signal (S R) is made available, which corresponds to the electrical reception signal (I R) or is derived therefrom, and is kept available at a signal terminal, in particular as a current or voltage signal.