Abstract: An optical interface device is provided for use in an undersea optical transmission system that includes an undersea optical transmission path, a plurality of optical repeaters located along the optical transmission path, and a selected one of any of a plurality of different vendor supplied optical transmission terminals each of which has a vendor-specific interface. The optical interface device includes a signal processing unit providing signal conditioning to optical signals received from the vendor-specific interface of the selected optical transmission terminal so that the optical signals are suitable for transmission through the undersea optical transmission path. A gain monitoring arrangement is also provided for determining a change in gain provided by any one of the optical repeaters.

Abstract: An undersea WDM optical transmission system is provided. The system includes first and second land-based cable stations, at least one of the cable stations includes power feed equipment (PFE) supplying electrical power to the cable at a voltage of no more than about 6 kv or less. The PFE is located in at least one of the cable stations. The system also includes an undersea WDM optical transmission cable having a length corresponding to those required in the undersea regional market. The cable includes at least one optical fiber pair for supporting bidirectional communication between the first and second cable stations. At least one repeater is located along the optical transmission cable. The repeater includes at least two optical amplifiers each providing optical gain to one of the optical fibers in the optical fiber pairs. The optical gain is in a range from about 12 to 20 dB.

Abstract: A method for entering a market with high barriers to entry and a plurality of proprietary business elements includes converting at least one of the business elements into a universal business element that can accept a wide variety of inputs from other business elements, while converting a remaining one of the plurality of business elements to commoditized business elements. For example, one exemplary embodiment of the present invention employs an optical repeater that can accept any existing submarine cable, in combination with an optical line interface terminal that can accept existing terrestrial terminal equipment. Regarding market division, this embodiment is specifically limited to spans of less than 5000 kilometers, and preferably between 350 and 4000 kilometers, thereby straddling both the long-haul and short-haul markets while providing highly desirable services and capability.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a land-based cable station is provided for an undersea optical transmission system. The cable station includes submarine line terminal equipment (SLTE) for processing terrestrial traffic received from an external source, power feed equipment for supplying electrical power to active undersea components of the transmission system, an element management system for configuring and obtaining status information from the transmission system, and a cable termination box in which an undersea cable terminates. The SLTE includes terrestrial optical transmission equipment receiving the terrestrial traffic and generating optical signals in response thereto. The SLTE also includes an interface device providing signal conditioning to the optical signals received from the terrestrial optical transmission equipment so that the optical signals are suitable for transmission through the undersea optical transmission system.