A method of detecting polarization mode dispersion (PMD) indicative parameters of an optical fiber link comprising at least one transmission channel in which is transmitted a first wideband optical signal with a bandwidth divided into sub-bands. For each sub-band is produced a second reference optical signal with which to find a third optical signal by superposition. For each of the third signals are calculated first parameters considered indicative of the PMD thereof, and with the first parameters of all the sub-bands are calculated second parameters considered indicative of the PMD of the first wideband signal. The method can be used as part of a PMD compensation method for a transmission system employing the parameters calculated for feedback piloting of a PMD compensator. A detection apparatus comprises a generator for generation of the second reference optical signals, an optical mixer for producing superimposition of the first and second signals, one or more photodetectors for finding the electrical beat signal or the first and second signals, a calculation device for calculating the first parameters, and a processor for processing all the first parameters to find therefrom the second parameters which will then be furthered processed. The detection apparatus can be part of a compensation apparatus comprising the compensator and a calculation stage for calculating the compensation and piloting the compensator. The entirety can be part of an optical fiber communication system.