An arrangement provides low cost path protection in an optical communications network. The arrangement has a portion 3 that provides (broadcasts) an outbound optical signal, and at least first and second transmitting portions 202, 206 transmit the outbound optical signal simultaneously onto at least first and second respective mutually distinct optical pathways 231, 232. Meanwhile, a selection arrangement 204 selects among plural incoming optical signals (via 1, 5) according to a SELECT control signal 228 to provide a selected signal, and an analyzer 222 analyzes characteristics of the selected signal to provide the SELECT control signal 228.