The limits of light: The finite bandwidth of optical fibre [Open Column]

Optical fibre is regularly touted as the ultimate broadband link - an "infinite"-bandwidth medium towards which all wireline communication technologies must inexorably migrate. But before describing the signal processing employed to combat dispersion in modern optical links, a little background on dispersion in optical fibres is required. The dispersion compensation techniques and the open problems facing them is discussed including speculation on the future of the field.