An advanced, low-cost, high-bandwidth multiple access technology for passive optical networks (PON) has been created that provides a PON in which multiple wavelengths are used to increase overall system bandwidth. Each wavelength is shared by multiple optical network units according to a time division multiple access protocol (TDMA). The multiple TDMA data streams preferably are received by an optical line terminal, which separates them to different detectors. The optical line terminal then performs clock and data recovery functions and uses a multiplexer to combine all the data into a single stream.Applications: Increases upstream bandwidth in PON without requiring an increase in data transmit speeds; combines multiple data into a single stream.Assignee: Alloptic Inc. (Livermore, Calif.)Inventors: J.-C. Kuo and G. PesaventoFiling/Publication Date: 09-27-00/06-10-08