Influence of Behavioral Models on Multiuser Channel Capacity

In order to characterize the channel capacity of a wavelength channel in a wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) system, statistical models are needed for the transmitted signals on the other wavelengths. For example, one could assume that the transmitters for all wavelengths are configured independently of each other, that they use the same signal power, or that they use the same modulation format. In this paper, it is shown that these so-called behavioral models have a profound impact on the single-wavelength achievable information rate. This is demonstrated by establishing, for the first time, upper and lower bounds on the maximum achievable rate under various behavioral models, for a rudimentary WDM channel model.