Abstract: An optical transmission system in which influences of worsening of the waveform by SPM are cancelled by setting an amount of compensation of a dispersion compensator at about 50% of a total amount of dispersion of an optical fiber transmission line so that received waveform is almost not varied, even if light intensity is varied. In the case where a plurality of dispersion compensators are used, the number of compensators is optimized by setting arrangement interval in the neighborhood of a receiving end at a small value. Further, in a transmission line, in which amounts of dispersion of optical fibers have positive and negative fluctuations, the smallest transmission distance of a transmission system is increased by effecting dispersion compensation so that an expected value of the total amount of dispersion of the transmission line is abnormal dispersion.