OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, METHOD OF BI-DIRECTIONAL COMMUNICATION AND METHOD OF OPERATING A NETWORK ELEMENT

摘要

An optical communication system (10) comprising an optical link (12) comprising an optical fibre (14), a first network element (16) coupled to a first end of the optical link and a second network element (18) coupled to a second end of the optical link. The first network element is configured to generate a first optical signal for transmission to the second network element, the first optical signal having a first propagation mode corresponding to a first guided mode of the optical fibre. The second network element is configured to generate a second optical signal for transmission to the first network element, the second optical signal having a second propagation mode, different to the first propagation mode, corresponding to a second guided mode of the optical fibre.