AbstractThis paper presents a new heuristic algorithm useful for long‐term planning of survivable WDM networks. A multi‐period model is formulated that combines network topology design and capacity expansion. The ability to determine network expansion schedules of this type becomes increasingly important to the telecommunications industry and to its customers. The solution technique consists of a Genetic Algorithm that allows to generate several network alternatives for each time period simultaneously and shortest‐path techniques to deduce from these alternatives a least‐cost network expansion plan over all time periods. The multi‐period planning approach is illustrated on a realistic network example. Extensive simulations on a wide range of problem instances are carried out to assess the cost savings that can be expected by choosing a multi‐period planning approach instead of an iterative network expansion de