波分复用（Wavelength Division Multiplexing，WDM）是利用多个激光器在单条光纤上同时发送多束不同波长激光的技术。每个信号经过数据（文本、语音、视频等）调制后都在它独有的色带内传输。WDM能使电话公司和其他运营商的现有光纤基础设施容量大增。

制造商已推出了DWDM（Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing）系统，也叫密集波分复用系统。DWDM可以支持150多束不同波长的光波同时传输，每束光波最高达到10Gb/s的数据传输率。这种系统能在一条比头发丝还细的光缆上提供超过1Tb/s的数据传输率。

In fiber-optic communications, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) is a technology which multiplexes a number of optical carrier signals onto a single optical fiber by using different wavelengths (i.e., colors) of laser light. This technique enables bidirectional communications over one strand of fiber, as well as multiplication of capacity.