A system for data transmission has a transmitter and a receiver connected by an optical channel. The transmitter has a transmitter laser and a transmitter-side electroabsorption modulator with an optical output. An electrical data input of the transmitter is connected to an electrical modulation terminal of the transmitter-side electroabsorption modulator. The receiver has a receiver laser and a receiver-side electroabsorption modulator with an optical output forming the input of the receiver. An electrical data output of the receiver is connected to the electrical modulation terminal of the receiver-side electroabsorption modulator. The transmitter and receiver lasers are detunable by specification of a physical variable, each provided by a respective control unit. The control units are synchronized and they specify the same signal at their outputs for establishing the physical variable for establishing the laser frequency.