A method of communicating an optical signal includes generating an optical signal at a bit rate of at least 2.5 Gb/s. The optical signal including at least thirty optical channels. In one particular embodiment, at least some of the thirty optical channels reside within a 1567-1620 nanometer wavelength range. The method also includes receiving the optical signal at a ROPA that includes a rare-earth doped optical fiber. In addition, the method includes introducing a pump signal to a communication span of the unrepeatered optical communication system. The pump signal operable to amplify the optical signal by Raman amplification within the communication span and including at least one pump signal wavelength operable to excite the rare-earth doped fiber. The method further includes receiving the optical signal after the optical signal has traversed at least 200 kilometers of the communication span.