Out-of-band communication channel for subcarrier-based optical communication systems

An apparatus, comprising:

• an optical gateway;
• and
• a hub, wherein the hub includes a plurality of hub transceivers, a first hub transceiver of the plurality of hub transceivers includes a first transmitter that supplies a first plurality of optical subcarriers based on first outputs of a first digital signal processor provided in the first transmitter, and a second hub transceiver of the plurality of hub transceivers includes a second transmitter that supplies a second plurality of optical subcarriers based on second outputs of a second digital signal processor provided in the second transmitter,
• wherein the optical gateway is operable to:
• determine that the first hub transceiver of the plurality of hub transceivers is transmitting first data to the optical gateway by amplitude modulating the first plurality of optical subcarriers at a first frequency within a first frequency range,
• determine that the second hub transceiver of the plurality of hub transceivers is transmitting second data to the optical gateway by amplitude modulating the second plurality of optical subcarriers at a second frequency within a second range,
• determine that the first frequency range overlaps the second frequency range,
• responsive to determining that the first frequency range overlaps the second frequency range, transmit a command to the second hub transceiver to transmit third data to the optical gateway by amplitude modulating the second plurality of optical subcarriers at a third frequency within a third frequency range that does not overlap the first frequency range.