CWDM and DWDM are two acronyms that mobile operators are hearing a lot as they densify their networks with small cells. CWDM is coarse wave division multiplexing and DWDM is dense wave division multiplexing. Wave division multiplexing is a way to increase the bandwidth of fiber by combining optical signals of different wavelengths on one strand of fiber. This technology is appropriate for small cell deployments because small cells are typically connected to base stations by fiber fronthaul.
