WDM Channel Assignments

C.1. Fiber Bands

Fiber spectrum is divided into six bands as shown in Table C.1.

Description Wavelength Range (nm)

Band

850 Multimode window 800 to 910

O Original 1260 to 1360

E Extended 1360 to 1460

S Short wavelengths 1460 to 1530

C Conventional (EDFA window) 1530 to 1565

L Long wavelengths (extended EDFA window) 1565 to 1625

U Ultra long wavelengths 1625 to 1675

C.1.1. Band Descriptions

850 band This band is used only for multimode fiber transmission.
“Multimode
window”

O band This is the first band used for single-mode fi ber communications. It is currently popular because of the lower cost of optics
“Original” for this band. It has higher attenuation than C-Band and therefore is only used for short span.

E band This band is affected by higher attenuation due to water (OH) molecule absorption peak at 1383 nm. This problem is overcome
“Extended” by newer “full spectrum” fiber that meets standard ITU-T G.652.c/d. It is used when 16-channel CWDM systems are deployed. If
non “full spectrum” fiber use, fiber link loss should be measured at each CWDM channel to ensure total link loss does not
exceed equipment optical budget.

S band “Short This band extends C-band DWDM channel assignments for large channel count systems. Also, it is used by many systems for
wavelength” the optical supervisory channel (OSC).

C band This band is used for most DWDM communications and all standard 1550 transceivers. EDFAs are designed to amplify all
“Conventional” channels in this band. Selected EDFA can extend amplifi cation into S and L bands.

L band “Long This band extends C-band DWDM channel assignments for large channel count systems.
wavelength”

U band “Ultra This band extends L band; however, it may not be usable for traffic in some fibers.
long
wavelength”

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C.2. WDM Channel Assignments
The below table was constructed from ITU-T WDM channel assignments. 2 , 3 Note, channels are defined in frequency units.
Channel center wavelengths are calculated for free space propagation using λ = c/f, where the speed of light c = 299,792,458
m/s. Frequencies and wavelengths shown in these charts are nominal channel center frequencies and wavelengths.

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 *Red (upstream traffic) and Blue (downstream traffic) bands are not standardized and limits can vary.
†Channel numbering is not standardized and can vary among manufacturers.
‡Not ITU-T assignments.

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 ITU-T50 GHz Channel Spacing Grid

Band Chan. No.* Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. (nm)

C 59.0 195.90 1530.33

58.5 195.85 1530.72

58.0 195.80 1531.12

57.5 195.75 1531.51

57.0 195.70 1531.90

56.5 195.65 1532.29

56.0 195.60 1532.68

55.5 195.55 1533.07

55.0 195.50 1533.47

54.5 195.45 1533.86

54.0 195.40 1534.25

53.5 195.35 1534.64

53.0 195.30 1535.04

C 52.5 195.25 1535.43

52.0 195.20 1535.82

51.5 195.15 1536.22

51.0 195.10 1536.61

50.5 195.05 1537.00

50.0 195.00 1537.40

49.5 194.95 1537.79

49.0 194.90 1538.19

48.5 194.85 1538.58

48.0 194.80 1538.98

47.5 194.75 1539.37

47.0 194.70 1539.77

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 46.5 194.65 1540.16

46.0 194.60 1540.56

45.5 194.55 1540.95

45.0 194.50 1541.35

44.5 194.45 1541.75

44.0 194.40 1542.14

43.5 194.35 1542.54

43.0 194.30 1542.94

42.5 194.25 1543.33

42.0 194.20 1543.73

41.5 194.15 1544.13

41.0 194.10 1544.53

40.5 194.05 1544.92

40.0 194.00 1545.32

39.5 193.95 1545.72

39.0 193.90 1546.12

38.5 193.85 1546.52

38.0 193.80 1546.92

37.5 193.75 1547.32

37.0 193.70 1547.72

36.5 193.65 1548.11

ITU-T 50 GHz Channel Spacing Grid

Band Chan. No.* Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. (nm)

C 36.0 193.60 1548.51

35.5 193.55 1548.91

35.0 193.50 1549.32

34.5 193.45 1549.72

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 ITU-T 50 GHz Channel Spacing Grid

Band Chan. No.* Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. (nm)

34.0 193.40 1550.12

33.5 193.35 1550.52

33.0 193.30 1550.92

32.5 193.25 1551.32

32.0 193.20 1551.72

31.5 193.15 1552.12

31.0 193.10 1552.52

30.5 193.05 1552.93

30.0 193.00 1553.33

29.5 192.95 1553.73

29.0 192.90 1554.13

28.5 192.85 1554.54

28.0 192.80 1554.94

27.5 192.75 1555.34

27.0 192.70 1555.75

26.5 192.65 1556.15

26.0 192.60 1556.55

25.5 192.55 1556.96

25.0 192.50 1557.36

24.5 192.45 1557.77

24.0 192.40 1558.17

23.5 192.35 1558.58

23.0 192.30 1558.98

22.5 192.25 1559.39

22.0 192.20 1559.79

21.5 192.15 1560.20

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 ITU-T 50 GHz Channel Spacing Grid

Band Chan. No.* Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. (nm)

21.0 192.10 1560.61

20.5 192.05 1561.01

20.0 192.00 1561.42

19.5 191.95 1561.83

19.0 191.90 1562.23

18.5 191.85 1562.64

18.0 191.80 1563.05

17.5 191.75 1563.45

17.0 191.70 1563.86

16.5 191.65 1564.27

16.0 191.60 1564.68

L 15.5 191.55 1565.09

15.0 191.50 1565.50

14.5 191.45 1565.90

14.0 191.40 1566.31

13.5 191.35 1566.72

13.0 191.30 1567.13

12.5 191.25 1567.54

12.0 191.20 1567.95

11.5 191.15 1568.36

11.0 191.10 1568.77

10.5 191.05 1569.18

10.0 191.00 1569.59

9.5 190.95 1570.01

9.0 190.90 1570.42

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 8.5 190.85 1570.83

8.0 190.80 1571.24

7.5 190.75 1571.65

7.0 190.70 1572.06

6.5 190.65 1572.48

6.0 190.60 1572.89

5.5 190.55 1573.30

5.0 190.50 1573.71

4.5 190.45 1574.13

ITU-T 50 GHz Channel Spacing Grid

Band Chan. No.* Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. (nm)

*Channel numbering is not standardized and can vary among manufacturers.

4.0 190.40 1574.54

3.5 190.35 1574.95

3.0 190.30 1575.37

2.5 190.25 1575.78

2.0 190.20 1576.20

1.5 190.15 1576.61

1.0 190.10 1577.03

0.5 190.05 1577.44

0.0 190.00 1577.86

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 *CWDM channels 1351 to 1451 may suffer from higher fiber attenuation due to water peak at approximately 1383 nm. Full- spectrum
fiber, ITU- T G. 652. c/d, does not suffer from this effect.
†Channel numbering is not standardized and can vary among manufacturers.

ITU-T 100 and 200 GHz DWDM Grid CWDM Passband ±6.5 nm
Channel
EDFA Band Chan. Center Freq. Center Wave. 100 200
No.* (THz) (nm) GHz GHz

S 73 197.30 1519.48 × ×

72 197.20 1520.25 ×

71 197.10 1521.02 × ×

70 197.00 1521.79 ×

69 196.90 1522.56 × ×

68 196.80 1523.34 ×

67 196.70 1524.11 × ×

66 196.60 1524.89 × 1531

65 196.50 1525.66 × × 1531

64 196.40 1526.44 × 1531

63 196.30 1527.22 × × 1531

62 196.20 1527.99 × 1531

Typical EDFA 61 196.10 1528.77 × × 1531

Range
60 196.00 1529.55 × 1531

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 ITU-T 100 and 200 GHz DWDM Grid CWDM Passband ±6.5 nm
Channel
EDFA Band Chan. Center Freq. Center Wave. 100 200
No.* (THz) (nm) GHz GHz

C Blue* 59 195.90 1530.33 × × 1531

58 195.80 1531.12 × 1531

57 195.70 1531.90 × × 1531

56 195.60 1532.68 × 1531

55 195.50 1533.47 × × 1531

54 195.40 1534.25 × 1531

53 195.30 1535.04 × × 1531

52 195.20 1535.82 × 1531

51 195.10 1536.61 × × 1531

50 195.00 1537.40 ×

49 194.90 1538.19 × ×

48 194.80 1538.98 ×

47 194.70 1539.77 × ×

46 194.60 1540.56 ×

45 194.50 1541.35 × ×

44 194.40 1542.14 ×

ITU-T 100 and 200 GHz DWDM Grid CWDM Passband ±6.5 nm Channel

EDFA Band Chan. Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. 100 200 GHz
No.* (nm) GHz

43 194.30 1542.94 × ×

42 194.20 1543.73 ×

41 194.10 1544.53 × ×

40 194.00 1545.32 × 1551

39 193.90 1546.12 × × 1551

38 193.80 1546.92 × 1551

Red* 37 193.70 1547.72 × × 1551

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 ITU-T 100 and 200 GHz DWDM Grid CWDM Passband ±6.5 nm Channel

EDFA Band Chan. Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. 100 200 GHz
No.* (nm) GHz

36 193.60 1548.51 × 1551

35 193.50 1549.32 × × 1551

34 193.40 1550.12 × 1551

33 193.30 1550.92 × × 1551

32 193.20 1551.72 × 1551

31 193.10 1552.52 × × 1551

30 193.00 1553.33 × 1551

29 192.90 1554.13 × × 1551

28 192.80 1554.94 × 1551

27 192.70 1555.75 × × 1551

26 192.60 1556.55 × 1551

25 192.50 1557.36 × × 1551

24 192.40 1558.17 ×

23 192.30 1558.98 × ×

22 192.20 1559.79 ×

21 192.10 1560.61 × ×

20 192.00 1561.42 ×

19 191.90 1562.23 × ×

18 191.80 1563.05 ×

17 191.70 1563.86 × ×

16 191.60 1564.68 × 1571

15 191.50 1565.50 × × 1571

14 191.40 1566.31 × 1571

Extended L-Band EDFA Range L 13 191.30 1567.13 × × 1571

12 191.20 1567.95 × 1571

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 11 191.10 1568.77 × × 1571

10 191.00 1569.59 × 1571

9 190.90 1570.42 × × 1571

8 190.80 1571.24 × 1571

7 190.70 1572.06 × × 1571

6 190.60 1572.89 × 1571

5 190.50 1573.71 × × 1571

4 190.40 1574.54 × 1571

3 190.30 1575.37 × × 1571

2 190.20 1576.20 × 1571

1 190.10 1577.03 × × 1571

0 190.00 1577.86 ×

189.90 1578.69 × ×

189.80 1579.52 ×

189.70 1580.35 × ×

189.60 1581.18 ×

189.50 1582.02 × ×

189.40 1582.85 ×

189.30 1583.69 × ×

189.20 1584.53 ×

189.10 1585.36 × × 1591

189.00 1586.20 × 1591

188.90 1587.04 × × 1591

188.80 1587.88 × 1591

188.70 1588.73 × × 1591

188.60 1589.57 × 1591

188.50 1590.41 × × 1591

188.40 1591.26 × 1591

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 188.30 1592.10 × × 1591

188.20 1592.95 × 1591

188.10 1593.79 × × 1591

188.00 1594.64 × 1591

ITU-T 100 and 200 GHz DWDM Grid CWDM Passband ±6.5 nm Channel

EDFA Band Chan. Center Freq. (THz) Center Wave. 100 200
No.* (nm) GHz GHz

*Red (upstream λ) and Blue (downstream λ) bands are not standardized and limits can vary.

187.90 1595.49 × × 1591

187.80 1596.34 × 1591

187.70 1597.19 × × 1591

187.60 1598.04 ×

187.50 1598.89 × ×

187.40 1599.75 ×

187.30 1600.60 × ×

187.20 1601.46 ×

187.10 1602.31 × ×

187.00 1603.17 ×

186.90 1604.03 × ×

C.2. References
1. 1. ITU-T Series G Supplement 39, “Optical system design and engineering consid-erations,” International
Telecommunications Union, Jan. 2006.
2. 2. ITU-T G.692, “Optical interfaces for multichannel systems with optical ampli-fiers,” International Telecommunications
Union, Annex A, Oct. 1998.
3. 3. ITU-T G.694.1, “Spectral grids for WDM applications: DWDM frequency grid,” International Telecommunications Union,
Annex A, Jun. 2002.

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