A chromatic dispersion compensation method is disclosed wherein setting of a dispersion compensation amount with which the quality of a signal to be reproduced at a receiver side is enhanced when compared with that of conventional equipments can be searched readily. In the method, the value to be set as the sum total of residual dispersion amounts remaining after dispersion compensation by a dispersion compensation section provided in each equipments or the sum total of absolute values of the residual dispersion amounts is calculated by arithmetically operating a linear function expression. Then, the dispersion compensation amount to be used in the dispersion compensation section in the equipments is determined based on the derived value to be set as the sum total of residual dispersion amounts or the sum total of absolute values of the residual dispersion amounts.