frequency-division multiple access

electronics

Also known as: FDMA

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Last updated

June 26, 2026

Quick Summary

Frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) is a method for sharing a communications channel among multiple users by dividing the available frequency spectrum into distinct slots. Each user is assigned a unique frequency slot for their signal, preventing interference. This technique is used in systems like the advanced mobile phone system (AMPS) for cellular communication. A network manager reassigns frequency slots as calls are completed, and slots can be reused in different geographic areas (cells) to maximize the number of simultaneous users. The primary challenge is the limited frequency spectrum, which can lead to more potential users than available slots.1

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telecommunication
Frequency-division multiple access
In FDMA the goal is to divide the frequency spectrum into slots and then to separate the signals of different users by placing them in separate frequency slots. The difficulty is that the frequency spectrum is limited and that there are typically…
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In FDMA the goal is to divide the frequency spectrum into slots and then to separate the signals of different users by placing them in separate frequency slots. The difficulty is that the frequency spectrum is limited and that there are typically…
Read More