Telecommunications switches are presented, including expandable optical switches that allow for a switch of N inputsM outputs to be expanded arbitrarily to a new number of N inputs and/or a new number of M outputs. Switches having internal switch blocks controlling signal bypass lines are also provided, with these switches being useful for the expandable switches.

Various particular embodiments include a primary waveguide including an end section; cantilevered waveguides, each cantilevered waveguide including an end section disposed adjacent the end section of the primary waveguide; and control pins for applying an electrical bias to the cantilevered waveguides to selectively displace the end sections of the cantilevered waveguides away from the end section of the primary waveguide.

Telecommunications switches are presented, including expandable optical switches that allow for a switch of N inputsM outputs to be expanded arbitrarily to a new number of N inputs and/or a new number of M outputs. Switches having internal switch blocks controlling signal bypass lines are also provided, with these switches being useful for the expandable switches.

A passive optical fiber switch includes: a housing defining a plurality of ports configured to receive fiber optic connectors; a substrate positioned within the housing, the substrate defining a plurality of waveguide paths; and an arm positioned relative to one of the plurality of ports such that the arm moves as a fiber optic connector is positioned in the one port, movement of the arm causing the waveguide paths to shift to break a normal through configuration.

A splitting apparatus provides M groups of ports and includes M splitting elements. Each splitting element includes at least one feeder end and N branch ends, where M=N+1. Each branch end of each splitting element is coupled to one branch end of another splitting element in the M splitting elements, where different branch ends of each splitting element are coupled to one branch end of different splitting elements. A feeder end of each splitting element is coupled to one group of ports in the M groups of ports of the splitting apparatus, and feeder ends of different splitting elements are coupled to different groups of ports. The splitting apparatus may implement an optical bus structure with peer-to-peer topologies.