Challenges in Extending the Transmission Bandwidth of SSMFs into the S-C- and L-Bands

The ever-increasing data load of the fiber-optic network creates a significant pressure on transmission systems to deliver more throughput. We explore how the capacity of Standard-Single-Mode Fiber (SSMF) links can be extended by exploiting currently unused wavelength bands. This is a very economical approach, since it can postpone expensive installation of a new fiber infrastructure - at least for an interim time [1]. In this contribution, a near-term strategy to include the L- and S-band into optical WDM links is discussed, greatly increasing the total throughput. The achievable data rate per WDM channel of these 3-band systems is assessed, considering all relevant intra- and inter-channel linear and nonlinear fiber effects.