Mitigating noise and OBI in RFoG networks

A system in at least one of a headend or a node for activating squelch in a two way optical communication path, the system comprising:

• at least one return receiver for receiving return signals transmitted from one or more groups of end user devices, the at least one return receiver including a photodetector coupled to the two way optical communication path for detecting return signals from the one or more groups of end user devices;
• logic including a computer readable memory with computer readable instructions which, when executed by the logic, causes:
• monitoring of a spectrum of the return signals from each group of end user devices, and
• determining from the monitored spectrum of return signals if an OBI event has occurred for the one or more groups of end user devices associated with said respective at least one receiver;
• and
• determining from the monitored spectrum of return signals if a combined signal power at the at least one receiver indicates a quiescence state for the one or more groups of end user devices associated with said respective at least one receiver;
• wherein squelch logic is activated for squelching a receiver output when an OBI event occurs at a respective at least one return receiver, and for activating a low squelch feature when the combined signal power at the at least one receiver indicates a quiescence state for the end user devices in the respective one or more groups of end user devices.