Abstract: An optical repeater is provided which is operable to amplify signals propagated by a pair of optical transmission fibers. The optical repeater includes a first rare earth element doped (REED) fiber coupled to a first transmission fiber of the pair of optical transmission fibers. A second rare earth element doped (REED) fiber is coupled to a second transmission fiber of the pair of optical transmission fibers. A plurality of optical pump sources are provided, there being either four or more pump sources, or at least two pump sources in which each pump source has a different center wavelength. One or more optical energy couplers are coupled to combine portions of the outputs of all the optical pump sources and to distribute the combined portions for insertion into each of the first and second REED fibers for amplification of signals and into each of the first and second transmission fibers for Raman amplification of signals.