Abstract: An optical communication system for communicating information. The systems includes a source of continuous wave laser light and one or more acoustic beams whcih are frequency or amplitude modulated by data. The laser light beam and the acoustic beams are input to an acousto-optical modulator for producing an undiffracted laser light beam and one or more diffracted laser light beams. The diffracted laser light beams are frequently shifted from the undiffracted laser light beam and contain the data to be transmitted. The diffracted and undiffracted beams are combined and transmitted over an optical fiber for demodulation at a distant location by a receiver. The receiver includes a photodiode which heterodynes the diffracted and undiffracted beams and produces signals having the frequencies of the acoustic beams. Tuning circuitry separates the signals and demodulators reconstruct the data transmitted.