Abstract: There is disclosed a network architecture comprising a first set of N serially connected power splitting centers connected at one end to receive a power signal and at another end to a termination point, each splitting center having an output associated with a sub-network for delivering a portion of the power signal to that sub-network, wherein the power splitting factor in each power splitting center is variable such that the portion of the power signal delivered to each sub-network is variable. The invention is described with particular relation to a double fiber ring optical network.