Upgrading a power-splitting passive optical network using optical filtering

The passive optical network system and method for providing a predetermined wavelength of data to remote users according to the present invention includes a multiple wavelength transmitter for transmitting a multiwavelength signal. The multiwavelength signal is provided by an access provider and has a plurality of signal components each of predetermined wavelength. A power-splitting passive optical network receives and power-splits the multiwavelength signal into a plurality of distributed multiwavelength signals each associated with a respective remote user. A filter selectively filters out, for each remote user, ones of the signal components of the associated distributed multiwavelength signal to provide the remote user with a selected one signal component of predetermined wavelength.