A fiber optic communication system comprising:an optical signal source adapted to receive a binary first signal and generate a binary second signal, wherein the binary first signal has an amplitude modulated component, wherein the binary second signal has an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component, and further wherein the binary second signal is characterized in that the higher intensity 1 bits are red shifted relative to the lower intensity 0 bits;a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) adapted to receive the binary second signal and generate a binary third signal, wherein the binary third signal has an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component, and further wherein the semiconductor optical amplifier operates in saturation; andan optical spectrum reshaper (OSR) adapted to reshape the binary third signal into a binary fourth signal, wherein the binary fourth signal has an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component.A method for transmitting a signal, comprising:receiving a binary first signal having an amplitude modulated component and generating a binary second signal having an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component, wherein the binary second signal is characterized in that the higher intensity 1 bits are red shifted relative to the lower intensity 0 bits;passing the binary second signal through a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) operating in saturation so as to generate a binary third signal, wherein the binary third signal has an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component; andreshaping the binary third signal into a binary fourth signal, wherein the binary fourth signal has an amplitude modulated component and a frequency modulated component.