Patent ID: 7292322

Claim:
A method for improving service in an optical fiber system including calculation of a true mean differential group delay τ of at least one length of optical fiber comprising the steps of: measuring a mean square differential group delay τ 2 B averaged over a finite bandwidth B of a source using a polarization mode dispersion measurement apparatus; calculating an approximation of the true mean differential group delay τ in accordance with 8 3 ⁢ π ⁢ 〈 τ 2 〉 B ; applying a systematic correction factor ε to said approximation in accordance with 8 3 ⁢ π ⁢ 〈 τ 2 〉 B + ɛ , ( 16 ⁢ a ) to calculate τ , the application of ε minimizing a systematic error caused by the finite bandwidth B of the source, where τ is in units of seconds, and B in units of radians/second; and generating a probability of a service outage using τ .