Optical absorption, near infrared emission and FTIR studies were carried out for the glasses prepared with chemical composition of (61.5-x)TeO2 + 25ZnO + 8K(2)O + 5CaO + 0.5Er(2)O(3) + xCe(2)O(3) (TZKCEr05Cex; x = 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 mol%) by the conventional melt quenching technique. Judd-Ofelt analysis has been adopted for the experimental oscillator strengths of the absorption bands of 0.5 mol% of Er3+ ions in singly doped TZKC glass. From the Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Omega(lambda)), different radiative parameters were evaluated and the effect of Ce3+ ions concentration on the Er3+ ion emission intensities of I-4(13/2) -> I-4(15/2) transition has been discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.