Teletrafikk

Teletrafikk, or teletraffic, is the study of traffic in telecommunications networks. It covers the generation, transmission, switching, and termination of communication sessions, and the measurement, modelling, and forecasting of traffic to ensure adequate capacity and acceptable quality of service. The field applies to both traditional circuit-switched networks and modern packet-switched networks, including voice, messaging, and data services.

Analytical methods include queueing theory and stochastic processes. A central concept is offered load expressed in Erlangs. The offered load A equals arrival rate times average service duration. System performance is described by metrics such as blocking probability, waiting time, and grade of service. Common modelling assumptions use Poisson arrivals and exponential service times, which lead to Erlang B and Erlang C formulas for dimensioning trunk capacity and server pools. More advanced models address queues with finite buffers, multiple servers, and non-Markovian traffic.

History and application: The field developed with the growth of telephone networks, with Agner Krarup Erlang contributing foundational results for dimensioning telephone traffic. Today teletrafikk informs planning and design of core networks, access networks, and data centers, as well as traffic management in IP networks. It relies on simulations and empirical measurements to guide capacity expansion, resource allocation, and quality-of-service policies.