transmission

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transmission

communications

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Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Transmission in telecommunications is the process of sending information using electromagnetic means. This involves transmitting an information-bearing signal through a physical medium, such as wires, radio waves, or optical fibers, from a transmitter to a receiver.12

Key aspects of transmission include:

Modulation: This is the process of varying a characteristic of a carrier wave (like its amplitude or frequency) according to an information signal. This is done to adapt the signal for transmission over a specific channel, to allow multiple users to share a channel, or to enable the use of smaller antennas.3
Signal Degradation: During transmission, signals can be degraded by noise, distortion, and attenuation (reduction in power).2
Digital vs. Analog: While analog signals (like voice) are inherently continuous, modern systems often convert them to digital form for more reliable and cost-effective transmission. Data transmission can be digital from the start.14

The goal of telecommunication transmission is to send large volumes of information over distances with minimal loss due to noise and interference.1

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news agency
The ability to transmit news rapidly greatly increased during the 20th century. Radioteleprinters that make possible fast automatic transmission of news messages linked all major areas. Picture transmission by radio and high-fidelity wires became well developed. From the major agencies, teletypesetter service, pioneered by the Associated Press in…
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The ability to transmit news rapidly greatly increased during the 20th century. Radioteleprinters that make possible fast automatic transmission of news messages linked all major areas. Picture transmission by radio and high-fidelity wires became well developed. From the major agencies, teletypesetter service, pioneered by the Associated Press in…
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telephone
Transmission
The first telephone lines employed the same type of outdoor circuits as telegraph lines—namely, a single noninsulated iron or steel wire supported by wooden poles with glass insulators.
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The first telephone lines employed the same type of outdoor circuits as telegraph lines—namely, a single noninsulated iron or steel wire supported by wooden poles with glass insulators.
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television
Transmission
As is pointed out in the section Compatible colour television, the colour television signal actually consists of two components, luminance (or brilliance) and chrominance; and chrominance itself has two aspects, hue (colour) and saturation (intensity of colour). The television…
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As is pointed out in the section Compatible colour television, the colour television signal actually consists of two components, luminance (or brilliance) and chrominance; and chrominance itself has two aspects, hue (colour) and saturation (intensity of colour). The television…
Read More