Methods and apparatus are provided that configure a wider passband for one or more channels of a wavelength selective switch (WSS). When a wider passband route WSS and a normal width passband select switch are used in combination, crosstalk that may be introduced by the wider passband route WSS can be mitigated. The wider passband WSS can provide a passband that allows a maximum bandwidth of signal to pass on a given channel and avoid signal being attenuated at the channel edges, especially when channels have a reduced channel spacing, such as with 50 GHz spacing.