Troubleshooting
In multimode optical fiber with many wavelengths propagating, it is sometimes hard to identify the dispersed wavelength out of all the wavelengths that are present, if there is not yet a service degradation issue. One can compare the present optical power of each wavelength to the designed values and look for differences. After that, the optical fiber is tested end to end. If no loss is found, then most probably there is dispersion with that particular wavelength. Normally engineers start testing the fiber section by section until they reach the affected section; all wavelengths are tested and the affected wavelength produces a loss at the far end of the fiber. One can easily calculate how much of the fiber is affected and replace that part of fiber with a new one. Replacement of optical fiber is only required when there is an intense dispersion and service is being affected; otherwise various methods can be used to compensate for the dispersion.
Read more about this topic: Modal Dispersion