Abstract: A communications system includes a plurality of optical transmission lines in an active system and an optical transmission line in a protection system, and transmitter/receiver devices connected to respective ends of the optical transmission lines. The transmitter/receiver devices respectively include a first interface unit for establishing a first interface with signal transmission lines, a second interface unit for establishing a second interface with one of the optical transmission lines, a first multiplexer/demultiplexer unit for executing a first multiplexing and demultiplexing operation, and a second multiplexer/demultiplexer unit for executing a second multiplexing and demultiplexing operation.