telecommunications

Telecommunications is the transmission of information over distance by electrical, optical, or electromagnetic means, enabling voice, data, text, and video to be communicated between people and devices. It encompasses a broad range of technologies and services, including telephone networks, mobile communications, broadband internet, data networks, radio and television broadcasting, and satellite communications. The field relies on transmission media, signaling, switching, and protocols to move information from sender to receiver and to manage access and reliability.

Transmission media include copper wires, fiber-optic cables, coaxial cables, and wireless radio spectrum. Network architectures range from fixed networks such as traditional landline and fiber broadband to mobile networks that support cellular services and wireless broadband. Core concepts include circuit switching for traditional telephone circuits and packet switching for data networks, as well as various signaling and routing protocols that govern data flows.

Key organizations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and regional bodies set standards and allocate spectrum. Standards bodies and industry consortia develop technologies for mobile generations (3G, 4G, 5G), broadband access, and internet protocols (such as TCP/IP). Telecommunications have a major social and economic impact, enabling globalization, remote work, digital commerce, and emergency services, while raising concerns about privacy, security, and access disparities.

Recent trends include the deployment of 5G networks, fiber-to-the-home, high-capacity submarine cables, and satellite-based internet services, which aim to increase speed, reduce latency, and expand connectivity to underserved areas.