There is provided a reconfigurable optical modulator comprising a light source and a splitter operative to receive an input signal from the light source and to split the input signal into a plurality of split signals. The optical modulator comprises a plurality of optical amplifiers, each being operative to receive one of the plurality of split signals as an input and to act as a switch having a first state where the split signal is blocked and a second state where the split signal is amplified. The optical modulator comprises a plurality of modulators, each being operative to receive an amplified split signal from one of the plurality of optical amplifiers and to modulate the amplified split signal into a modulated signal. The optical modulator comprises an optical combiner operative to combine a plurality of modulated signals produced by the plurality of modulators to thereby produce a modulated output signal.