A configurable wide area distributed antenna system is provided. At least one remote master unit of the system is in communication with at least one base station. The remote master unit includes a remote switch function that provides at least multiplexing in a downlink direction, demultiplexing in an uplink direction and routing of digital samples. The local master unit is located remote from the remote master unit. The local master unit is in communication with at least one remote antenna unit used to provide communication coverage in a select coverage area. The local master unit includes a local switch function providing at least demultiplexing in a downlink direction, multiplexing in an uplink direction and routing of digital samples. At least one communication link communicatively couples the remote master unit to the local communication unit with transport media interfaces.

Example embodiments describe an optical line terminal, OLT, configured to perform determining a fragmentation allocation for respective ONUs; and notifying, the respective ONUs, of the fragmentation allocation. Other example embodiments relate to an optical network unit, ONU, configured to perform receiving, from the OLT, fragmentation allocation for fragmenting one or more packets; processing the packets in accordance with the fragmentation allocation to obtain fragmented and unfragmented packets; and forwarding, to the OLT, the fragmented and unfragmented packets in accordance with the dynamic upstream allocation map.

Provided are a ranging method and a communication method for an optical network, an Optical Line Terminal (OLT), an Optical Network Unit (ONU), and an optical network system. The OLT sends a broadcast message to the ONU, the broadcast message being used to indicate an uplink bandwidth allocated to the ONU. The OLT opens a quiet window for the ONU in a predetermined region. The OLT receives an uplink signal sent by the ONU at the quiet window.

An apparatus, for use by an Optical Network Unit, performs receiving, from an Optical Line Terminal, a broadcast message including code set information indicating a first code set selected from a plurality of error correction code sets; determining whether the first code set is comprised in a group of code sets supported by the Optical Network Unit, wherein, the group of code sets includes at least one code set of the plurality of error correction code sets; and encoding an upstream transmission with the first code set, in case the first code set is included in the group of code sets.

An apparatus includes a first reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer (ROADM) to receive a first optical signal and a second ROADM to receive a second optical signal. The apparatus also includes a reconfigurable optical switch that includes a first switch, switchable between a first state and a second state, to transmit the first optical signal at the first state and block the first optical signal at the second state. The reconfigurable optical switch also includes a second switch, switchable between the first state and the second state, to transmit the second optical signal at the first state and block the second optical signal at the second state. The reconfigurable optical switch also includes an output port to transmit an output signal that is a sum of possible optical signals transmitted through the first switch and the second switch.

Provided are a ranging method and a communication method for an optical network, an Optical Line Terminal (OLT), an Optical Network Unit (ONU), and an optical network system. The OLT sends a broadcast message to the ONU, the broadcast message being used to indicate an uplink bandwidth allocated to the ONU. The OLT opens a quiet window for the ONU in a predetermined region. The OLT receives an uplink signal sent by the ONU at the quiet window.

An apparatus, for use by an Optical Network Unit, performs receiving, from an Optical Line Terminal, a broadcast message including code set information indicating a first code set selected from a plurality of error correction code sets; determining whether the first code set is comprised in a group of code sets supported by the Optical Network Unit, wherein, the group of code sets includes at least one code set of the plurality of error correction code sets; and encoding an upstream transmission with the first code set, in case the first code set is included in the group of code sets.

An optical circuit includes: a multicast-and-select (MCS) switch and multiple optical selective devices coupled to output ports of the MCS switch. The selective devices may select a single optical channel by blocking some of wavelengths of light passing therethrough and passing at least one other wavelength. The selective devices may be wave blockers or tunable optical filters. The optical circuit further includes an optical amplifying array, wherein each amplifier has an input port optically coupled to one of the selective devices. At least some of the amplifiers have pump light ports for receiving at least a portion of the pump light from one or more laser pumps or from another of the optical amplifiers, wherein the pumps are capable of providing pump light sufficient to fully saturate all of the rare earth doped optical fibers in the array.

An apparatus includes a first input port, a first switch, and a second switch. The first switch and the second input port are in optical communication with the first input port. The apparatus also includes a second input port, a third switch, and a fourth switch. The third switch and the fourth switch are in optical communication with the second input port. Each switch is switchable between a first state to pass optical signals and a second state to block optical signals. The apparatus also includes a first combiner in optical communication with the first input port via the first switch and the second input port via the third switch. The apparatus also includes a second combiner in optical communication with the first input port via the second switch and the second input port via the fourth switch.

A modular optical add/drop system supporting a Colorless, Directionless, and Contentionless (CDC) architecture includes a first Contentionless Wavelength Selective Switch (CWSS)-based optical add/drop device; and one or more channel pre-combiners each having a common port with a transmit port and a receiver port, at least two local add/drop ports, components configured to combine channels between the at least two local add/drop ports and the common port, and a splitter and a combiner connected to the common port, wherein a first output of the splitter and the combiner is connected to the first CWSS-based optical add/drop device. The modular optical add/drop system can further include a second CWSS-based optical add/drop device, wherein a second output of the splitter and the combiner is connected to the second CWSS-based optical add/drop device.