An optical signal transmission line includes a first fiber adapted to guide an optical signal therethrough and having a first , a second fiber adapted to guide the optical signal therethrough and having a second of less than or equal to about 100 nm at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and a compensating fiber adapted to guide the optical signal therethrough and having a third of greater than or equal to about 60 nm at a wavelength of 1550 nm. The first fiber, the second fiber and the compensating fiber are in optical communication, thereby defining an optical transmission line having a total dispersion and a total dispersion slope. The first , the second and the third cooperate such that the total dispersion is within the range of about 1.0 ps/nm-kmtotal dispersionabout -1.0 ps/nm-km at a wavelength of 1550 nm, and the total dispersion slope is within the range of about 0.02 ps/nm²-kmtotal dispersion slopeabout -0.02 ps/nm²-km at a wavelength of 1550 nm.