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A wavelength division multiplex communication system comprises a head station (2) and a plurality of terminal stations (1) interconnected by an optical fibre cable (3). The head station (2) transmits continuous wave modulated wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1 -.lambda..sub.k), and a signalling wavelength

A wavelength division multiplex communication system comprises a head station (2) and a plurality of terminal stations (1) interconnected by an optical fibre cable (3). The head station (2) transmits continuous wave modulated wavelengths (.lambda..sub.1 -.lambda..sub.k), and a signalling wavelength (.lambda..sub.0) which is used to indicate, in each time slot, which wavelengths in the following time slot are available for transmission. Each terminal station (1) is arranged to receive the signalling wavelength, to determine therefrom whether the next time slot contains any data packets for that terminal station and, if so, to receive the packets. The terminal station (1) is arranged, if it has a data packet to transmit, to determine from the signalling wavelength whether the next time slot already contains data packets for the destination station and, if so, to avoid data collision by not transmitting its own data packet. The terminal station (1) then determines a free wavelength (.lambda..sub.q) from the signalling wavelength (.lambda..sub.0), modulates the free wavelength with the data packet it is to transmit, and modifies the signalling wavelength.

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[ I claim:] [1.] A wavelength multiplexed optical communication system comprising:a plurality of terminal stations and at least one head station interconnected by a pair of rings comprising a pair of optical communications buses carrying data in opposite directions, the head station providing optica

[ I claim:] [1.] A wavelength multiplexed optical communication system comprising:a plurality of terminal stations and at least one head station interconnected by a pair of rings comprising a pair of optical communications buses carrying data in opposite directions, the head station providing optical signals on a plurality of optical carriers, and the terminal stations each modulating the optical carriers to carry data signals, the terminal stations each comprising means for interconnecting said buses, the system thereby being operable as a single continuous bus in the event of a system or component failure.