GeO2- PbO glass system doped with Sm3+ ion was synthesized and its structural and spectroscopic properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, ellipsometry, absorption and luminescence spectra. Judd–Ofelt theory was applied to evaluate the phenomenological parameters Ωλ (λ=2, 4 and 6). Transition probabilities, radiative lifetimes, branching ratio and stimulated emission cross-section were estimated for the observed VIS-NIR emission. A novel NIR band corresponding to 4G5/2 to 6F11/2 transition was observed in the range from 1250 to 1350nm under excitation at 488nm. The obtained results exhibit potential applications in technological compact light sources and optical devices in the VIS-NIR region.