A method includes transmitting, at a first wavelength, a first configuration message on the PON including a first transmitter interface number and transmitting, at a second wavelength, a second configuration message on the PON including a second transmitter interface number. The method further includes receiving a configuration response message from a first set of ONUs that comprises the first transmitter interface number and from a second set of ONUs that comprises the second transmitter interface, associating the first set of ONUs with the first wavelength and the second set of ONUs with the second wavelength, and transmitting downstream traffic destined for any ONU in the first set of ONUs at the first wavelength and transmitting downstream traffic for any ONU in the second set of ONUs at the second wavelength.