otseülekande

otseülekande (singular) is a term used primarily in Estonian to refer to a direct transmission or broadcast. It commonly appears in contexts involving telecommunications, radio and television broadcasting, and energy distribution. The word is composed of "otse," meaning "direct," and "ülekande," which is a form of "ülekand," a noun meaning "transmission" or "broadcast." Thus, the literal sense is "direct transmission."

In radio and television, an otseülekande typically indicates a broadcast that is sent straight from the source to the audience, without intermediate steps such as a relay or storing the signal for later use. This contrasts with delayed or indirect broadcasts, where the signal might be transmitted to an intermediate server, buffered, or recoded. For telephone services, the concept can apply to a direct call that goes straight from one handset to another instead of routed through a central switch or trunk. In power systems the term can describe a direct line from a power plant to a distribution network, bypassing a substation.

The importance of distinguishing between direct and indirect transmissions lies in latency, signal quality, and regulatory control. Direct broadcasts often have lower latency, suitable for live events, news, or critical warnings. However, they also require more robust infrastructure to handle large audiences without the buffering and adaptive techniques that indirect methods use. In many regulatory frameworks, direct transmissions are subject to stricter licensing and technical standards because they can reach a broader audience immediately.

Use of otseülekande can be found in Estonian legal texts, technical standards documents, and industry guidelines. While the concept itself is common worldwide, the specific Estonian terminology reflects a legal and technical tradition that categorizes broadcast methods in a precise manner.