A single fiber passive optical network (PON) wavelength division multiplex
(WDM) overlay includes a central office, a fiber optic network, and a
plurality of optical network termination (ONT) units. The central office
has a baseline optical link that receives a baseline communication signal
and converts the baseline communication signal into a downstream baseline
optical signal within a first optical bandwidth, and has an additional
optical link that receives a second type of communication signal and
converts the second type of communication signal into a second downstream
optical signal within a second optical bandwidth. The downstream baseline
optical signal generated by the baseline optical link is combined with
the second optical signal generated by the additional optical link to
generate a broadband optical signal. The fiber optic network is coupled
to the central office and receives the broadband optical signal on at
least one optic fiber. The fiber optic network splits the broadband
optical signal to a plurality of fiber drops. The optical network
termination (ONT) units are each coupled to a fiber drop. At least one of
the ONT units is a baseline ONT unit that receives the broadband optical
signal from the fiber drop and splits the downstream baseline optical
signal from the broadband optical signal, and at least one other of the
ONT units is an upgraded ONT unit that receives the broadband optical
signal from the fiber drop and splits the downstream baseline optical
signal and the second downstream optical signals from the broadband
optical signal. In addition, the installation of the upgraded ONT unit to
the PON does not effect baseline optical service to any other ONT unit.