INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION

ITU-T G.694.1
TELECOMMUNICATION (06/2002)
STANDARDIZATION SECTOR
OF ITU

SERIES G: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS AND MEDIA,

DIGITAL SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS
Transmission media characteristics – Characteristics of
optical components and subsystems

Spectral grids for WDM applications:

DWDM frequency grid

ITU-T Recommendation G.694.1

 ITU-T G-SERIES RECOMMENDATIONS
TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS AND MEDIA, DIGITAL SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS

INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE CONNECTIONS AND CIRCUITS G.100–G.199

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO ALL ANALOGUE CARRIER- G.200–G.299
TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNATIONAL CARRIER TELEPHONE G.300–G.399
SYSTEMS ON METALLIC LINES
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF INTERNATIONAL CARRIER TELEPHONE G.400–G.449
SYSTEMS ON RADIO-RELAY OR SATELLITE LINKS AND INTERCONNECTION WITH
METALLIC LINES
COORDINATION OF RADIOTELEPHONY AND LINE TELEPHONY G.450–G.499
TESTING EQUIPMENTS G.500–G.599
TRANSMISSION MEDIA CHARACTERISTICS G.600–G.699
General G.600–G.609
Symmetric cable pairs G.610–G.619
Land coaxial cable pairs G.620–G.629
Submarine cables G.630–G.649
Optical fibre cables G.650–G.659
Characteristics of optical components and subsystems G.660–G.699
DIGITAL TERMINAL EQUIPMENTS G.700–G.799
DIGITAL NETWORKS G.800–G.899
DIGITAL SECTIONS AND DIGITAL LINE SYSTEM G.900–G.999
QUALITY OF SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE G.1000–G.1999
TRANSMISSION MEDIA CHARACTERISTICS G.6000–G.6999
DIGITAL TERMINAL EQUIPMENTS G.7000–G.7999
DIGITAL NETWORKS G.8000–G.8999

For further details, please refer to the list of ITU-T Recommendations.

ITU-T Recommendation G.694.1

Spectral grids for WDM applications: DWDM frequency grid

Summary
This Recommendation provides a frequency grid for dense wavelength division multiplexing
(DWDM) applications.
The frequency grid, anchored to 193.1 THz, supports a variety of channel spacings ranging from
12.5 GHz to 100 GHz and wider.

Source
ITU-T Recommendation G.694.1 was prepared by ITU-T Study Group 15 (2001-2004) and
approved under the WTSA Resolution 1 procedure on 13 June 2002.

ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002) i

 FOREWORD
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency in the field of
telecommunications. The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) is a permanent organ of
ITU. ITU-T is responsible for studying technical, operating and tariff questions and issuing
Recommendations on them with a view to standardizing telecommunications on a worldwide basis.
The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA), which meets every four years,
establishes the topics for study by the ITU-T study groups which, in turn, produce Recommendations on
these topics.
The approval of ITU-T Recommendations is covered by the procedure laid down in WTSA Resolution 1.
In some areas of information technology which fall within ITU-T's purview, the necessary standards are
prepared on a collaborative basis with ISO and IEC.

NOTE
In this Recommendation, the expression "Administration" is used for conciseness to indicate both a
telecommunication administration and a recognized operating agency.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

ITU draws attention to the possibility that the practice or implementation of this Recommendation may
involve the use of a claimed Intellectual Property Right. ITU takes no position concerning the evidence,
validity or applicability of claimed Intellectual Property Rights, whether asserted by ITU members or others
outside of the Recommendation development process.
As of the date of approval of this Recommendation, ITU had not received notice of intellectual property,
protected by patents, which may be required to implement this Recommendation. However, implementors
are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information and are therefore strongly urged to consult the
TSB patent database.

 ITU 2002
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, by any means whatsoever, without the
prior written permission of ITU.

ii ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002)

 CONTENTS
Page

1 Scope ............................................................................................................................ 1

2 References..................................................................................................................... 1

3 Definitions .................................................................................................................... 1
3.1 Terms defined in this Recommendation......................................................... 1
3.1.1 Frequency Grid............................................................................................... 1
3.2 Terms defined in other Recommendations..................................................... 1

4 Abbreviations and acronyms ........................................................................................ 1

5 Dense WDM and its applications ................................................................................. 1

6 Nominal central frequencies for dense WDM systems ................................................ 2

ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002) iii

ITU-T Recommendation G.694.1

Spectral grids for WDM applications: DWDM frequency grid

1 Scope
The purpose of this Recommendation is to provide the definition of a frequency grid to support
dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) applications.

2 References
The following ITU-T Recommendations and other references contain provisions which, through
reference in this text, constitute provisions of this Recommendation. At the time of publication, the
editions indicated were valid. All Recommendations and other references are subject to revision;
users of this Recommendation are therefore encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying the
most recent edition of the Recommendations and other references listed below. A list of the
currently valid ITU-T Recommendations is regularly published.
– ITU-T Recommendation G.671 (2002), Transmission characteristics of optical components
and subsystems.

3 Definitions

3.1 Terms defined in this Recommendation

This Recommendation defines the following terms:
3.1.1 Frequency Grid
A frequency grid is a reference set of frequencies used to denote allowed nominal central
frequencies that may be used for defining applications.

3.2 Terms defined in other Recommendations

This Recommendation uses terms defined in ITU-T Rec. G.671:
– Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM).
– Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM).

4 Abbreviations and acronyms

This Recommendation uses the following abbreviations:
CWDM Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing
DWDM Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing
WDM Wavelength Division Multiplexing

5 Dense WDM and its applications

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), a WDM technology, is characterised by
narrower channel spacing than Coarse WDM (CWDM) as defined in ITU-T Rec. G.671. In general
the transmitters employed in DWDM applications require a control mechanism to enable them to
meet the application's frequency stability requirements, in contrast to CWDM transmitters which
are generally uncontrolled in this respect.

ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002) 1

The frequency grid defined by this Recommendation supports a variety of channel spacings ranging
from 12.5 GHz to 100 GHz and wider (integer multiples of 100 GHz). Uneven channel spacings are
also allowed.
The current steps in channel spacing have historically evolved by sub-dividing the initial 100 GHz
grid by successive factors of two.

6 Nominal central frequencies for dense WDM systems

For channel spacings of 12.5 GHz on a fibre, the allowed channel frequencies (in THz) are defined
by:
193.1 + n × 0.0125 where n is a positive or negative integer including 0
For channel spacings of 25 GHz on a fibre, the allowed channel frequencies (in THz) are defined
by:
193.1 + n × 0.025 where n is a positive or negative integer including 0
For channel spacings of 50 GHz on a fibre, the allowed channel frequencies (in THz) are defined
by:
193.1 + n × 0.05 where n is a positive or negative integer including 0
For channel spacings of 100 GHz or more on a fibre, the allowed channel frequencies (in THz) are
defined by:
193.1 + n × 0.1 where n is a positive or negative integer including 0
Table 1 illustrates some nominal central frequencies within the C and L bands based on the
12.5 GHz minimum channel spacing anchored to the 193.1 THz reference. Table 1 also illustrates
the 25, 50 and 100 GHz grid frequencies within the same region. The endpoints shown are
illustrative, not normative.
Note that the value of "c" (speed of light in vacuum) that should be used for converting between
frequency and wavelength is 2.99792458 × 108 m/s.

Table 1/G.694.1 – Example nominal central frequencies

of the DWDM grid

Nominal central frequencies (THz) for spacings of Approximate

nominal central
wavelengths (nm)

12.5 GHz 25 GHz 50 GHz 100 GHz and

above

• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
195.9375 – – – 1530.04
195.9250 195.925 – – 1530.14
195.9125 – – – 1530.24
195.9000 195.900 195.90 195.9 1530.33

2 ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002)

 Table 1/G.694.1 – Example nominal central frequencies
of the DWDM grid

Nominal central frequencies (THz) for spacings of Approximate

nominal central
wavelengths (nm)

12.5 GHz 25 GHz 50 GHz 100 GHz and

above

195.8875 – – – 1530.43
195.8750 195.875 – – 1530.53
195.8625 – – – 1530.63
195.8500 195.850 195.85 – 1530.72
195.8375 – – – 1530.82
195.8250 195.825 – – 1530.92
195.8125 – – – 1531.02
195.8000 195.800 195.80 195.8 1531.12
195.7875 – – – 1531.21
195.7750 195.775 – – 1531.31
195.7625 – – – 1531.41
195.7500 195.750 195.75 – 1531.51
195.7375 – – – 1531.60
195.7250 195.725 – – 1531.70
195.7125 – – – 1531.80
195.7000 195.700 195.70 195.7 1531.90
195.6875 – – – 1532.00
195.6750 195.675 – – 1532.09
195.6625 – – – 1532.19
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •

193.2375 – – – 1551.42
193.2250 193.225 – – 1551.52
193.2125 – – – 1551.62
193.2000 193.200 193.20 193.2 1551.72
193.1875 – – – 1551.82
193.1750 193.175 – – 1551.92

ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002) 3

 Table 1/G.694.1 – Example nominal central frequencies
of the DWDM grid

Nominal central frequencies (THz) for spacings of Approximate

nominal central
wavelengths (nm)

12.5 GHz 25 GHz 50 GHz 100 GHz and

above

193.1625 – – – 1552.02
193.1500 193.150 193.15 – 1552.12
193.1375 – – – 1552.22
193.1250 193.125 – – 1552.32
193.1125 – – – 1552.42
193.1000 193.100 193.10 193.1 1552.52
193.0875 – – – 1552.62
193.0750 193.075 – – 1552.73
193.0625 – – – 1552.83
193.0500 193.050 193.05 – 1552.93
193.0375 – – – 1553.03
193.0250 193.025 – – 1553.13
193.0125 – – – 1553.23
193.0000 193.000 193.00 193.0 1553.33
192.9875 – – – 1553.43
192.9750 192.975 – – 1553.53
192.9625 – – – 1553.63
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •

184.7750 184.775 – – 1622.47

184.7625 – – – 1622.58
184.7500 184.750 184.75 – 1622.69
184.7375 – – – 1622.80
184.7250 184.725 – – 1622.91
184.7125 – – – 1623.02
184.7000 184.700 184.70 184.7 1623.13
184.6875 – – – 1623.24
184.6750 184.675 – – 1623.35

4 ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002)

 Table 1/G.694.1 – Example nominal central frequencies
of the DWDM grid

Nominal central frequencies (THz) for spacings of Approximate

nominal central
wavelengths (nm)

12.5 GHz 25 GHz 50 GHz 100 GHz and

above

184.6625 – – – 1623.46
184.6500 184.650 184.65 – 1623.57
184.6375 – – – 1623.68
184.6250 184.625 – – 1623.79
184.6125 – – – 1623.90
184.6000 184.600 184.60 184.6 1624.01
184.5875 – – – 1624.12
184.5750 184.575 – – 1624.23
184.5625 – – – 1624.34
184.5500 184.550 184.55 – 1624.45
184.5375 – – – 1624.56
184.5250 184.525 – – 1624.67
184.5125 – – – 1624.78
184.5000 184.500 184.50 184.5 1624.89
• • • • •
• • • • •
• • • • •

ITU-T Rec. G.694.1 (06/2002) 5

 SERIES OF ITU-T RECOMMENDATIONS

Series A Organization of the work of ITU-T

Series B Means of expression: definitions, symbols, classification

Series C General telecommunication statistics

Series D General tariff principles

Series E Overall network operation, telephone service, service operation and human factors

Series F Non-telephone telecommunication services

Series G Transmission systems and media, digital systems and networks

Series H Audiovisual and multimedia systems

Series I Integrated services digital network

Series J Cable networks and transmission of television, sound programme and other multimedia signals

Series K Protection against interference

Series L Construction, installation and protection of cables and other elements of outside plant

Series M TMN and network maintenance: international transmission systems, telephone circuits,
telegraphy, facsimile and leased circuits

Series N Maintenance: international sound programme and television transmission circuits

Series O Specifications of measuring equipment

Series P Telephone transmission quality, telephone installations, local line networks

Series Q Switching and signalling

Series R Telegraph transmission

Series S Telegraph services terminal equipment

Series T Terminals for telematic services

Series U Telegraph switching

Series V Data communication over the telephone network

Series X Data networks and open system communications

Series Y Global information infrastructure and Internet protocol aspects

Series Z Languages and general software aspects for telecommunication systems

*22348*
Printed in Switzerland
Geneva, 2002