WDM systems were made popular by telecommunications companies because it empowered
them to expand the capacity of their network without laying more fiber. By using WDM and optical amplifiers, they were able to support several generations of technology development in their optical infrastructure without having to overhaul the backbone network. Wavelength division multiplexing technology is ideal for transporting large amounts of voice/telephone and data traffic, as well as allowing for interoperability between equipment from different vendors that follow the IEEE and ITU standards.