Advantages and Disadvantages of Wavelength Divison Multiplexing?

Question

What are some?

Answer 1

Advantage: fewer wires or channels to transmit and recieve data.  A single fiber-optic cable can handle dozens of channels, instead of using 12 cables, you only use 1.  

For cell phone wireless communication, it means that you only use 1 band of frequencies instead of many bands.  There is only so much electromagnetic spectrum space (they aren't making any more of it), and that space is at a premium -- everyone wants their piece so it gets expensive.  So, if a cell phone company only uses a small portion instead of a large portion -- it is cheaper for them.

Disadvantage: Complex transmitters and receivers.  They must be wide-band, which means they are more expensive and possibly less reliable.

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