A transmission device comprising: at least one transceiver that is configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters; a plurality of couplers configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generates a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium to at least one other transmission device that is remote from the transmission device, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves comprises a first wave having a first electromagnetic field pattern that comprises a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and a second wave having a second electromagnetic field pattern that comprises a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation, and wherein the at least one other transmission device is configured to receive the plurality of the second electromagnetic waves from the outer surface of the transmission medium; and a training controller that is configured to generate the surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters based on channel state information received from the at least one other transmission device to mitigate a channel dispersion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium. at least one transceiver that is configured to modulate data to generate a plurality of first electromagnetic waves in accordance with surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters; a plurality of couplers configured to couple at least a portion of the plurality of first electromagnetic waves to an outer surface of a transmission medium, wherein the plurality of couplers generates a plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium to at least one other transmission device that is remote from the transmission device, wherein the plurality of second electromagnetic waves comprises a first wave having a first electromagnetic field pattern that comprises a first lobe at a first azimuthal orientation to a longitudinal axis of the transmission medium and a second wave having a second electromagnetic field pattern that comprises a second lobe at a second azimuthal orientation to the longitudinal axis of the transmission medium, and wherein the first azimuthal orientation differs from the second azimuthal orientation, and wherein the at least one other transmission device is configured to receive the plurality of the second electromagnetic waves from the outer surface of the transmission medium; and a training controller that is configured to generate the surface wave channel dispersion equalization parameters based on channel state information received from the at least one other transmission device to mitigate a channel dispersion of the plurality of second electromagnetic waves that propagate longitudinally along the outer surface of the transmission medium.