British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

Albert Rafel

Alan M Hill

Derek Nesset

Mark Edward Scopes

Alan Michael Hill

The present invention relates to the introduction of an outstation into an optical network. The optical network has a central station, and a plurality of previously introduced outstations which are optically connected to the central station. The network is operable in: a normal operating state in which data traffic is received from previously introduced outstations at a normal data rate; and, a set-up state in which the transmission of data traffic from the previously introduced outstations is restricted relative to the normal state, the method including the step of: when the network is in the set-up state, performing a set-up operation for introducing the outstation into the optical network, the set-up operation involving the transmission of set-up data from the outstation being introduced, wherein the set-up data is transmitted at a reduced rate relative to the normal operating rate.

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Ipswich, United Kingdom

Albert Rafel