The present invention provides a compact, low cost integrated continuous wave (CW) laser/electro-absorption (EA) modulator solution that supports the non-return to zero (NRZ) modulation format for long-haul optical transmission that results in high output extinction ratio of an integrated EA modulated laser (EML) and low modulator chirp. The methods and systems of the present invention treat the laser and EA modulator sections of the EML as separate components. An information signal is connected to two separate drivers: a laser driver that drives the laser section and a modulator driver that drives the EA modulator section.