In the 21st century, the majority of the world’s everyday operation relies on telecommunications. Telecom systems of different complexity help people communicate with each other while powering businesses around the globe.
What are telecom systems? How do they work? Everyone knows that telecommunication is important. But only a few people understand the technology behind it. If you’ve always wanted to learn about telecom systems but were afraid to ask, this article is for you.
In this guide for newbies, you’ll learn what telecommunication is all about and understand how telecom systems work.
What is Telecommunications?
Telecommunications, also called telecom, involves exchanging data over distance by using electronic means. It can involve, voice, digital data, or video.
Telecom is a widely used broad term, which also includes all technologies involved in transmitting information over distance. It also refers to communication tools such as cellphones, mobile devices, landlines, radio, TV, the internet, and even the telegraph.
For telecommunications to work, you need two stations. Each station has a transmitter and a receiver. It’s also possible to combine a transmitter and a receiver to get a transceiver. The two stations can be connected by wires or cables. However, in many cases, the transmission and reception are arranged through the electromagnetic field. Such telecommunications are called wireless.
To arrange telecommunications, you need at least two stations. If you have several stations interacting with each other, it’s called a network.
What are Telecommunication Systems?
A telecom system is a combination of wired and wireless local and long-distance networks as well as hardware and software that allows these networks to communicate with each other or their users.
The stations can communicate with each other in different ways. The signals can be digital and analog. While analog is still used, more and more service providers are choosing the digital signal because the data you receive through digital is much clearer and isn’t interrupted by noise.
Modern telecom systems use different mediums, including telephone, radio, TV, LAN networks, and the internet. Businesses all over the world are using combinations of telecom systems to make their work more efficient.
Telecom systems bring people and business together, streamlining work, improving entertainment options, and allowing everyone to connect instantly.
Different Types of Telecom Networks
Telecom networks are widely used communication tools among companies and private users. The examples of these networks include:
- Internet (the biggest telecom network in the world)
- WAN (Wide-Area Network)
- Telephone network
- Cellular network
- Fire communication system
- Police communication system
- Taxi communication network
- Broadcast network
When data is transferred within the network, it’s done by an electrical signal, which is called a carrier. For the carrier to transmit information, modulation is required. The type of modulation can be either digital or analog.
For analog modulation, the carrier varies in a continuous manner. The oldest form of analog modulation is Amplitude Modulation or as the majority knows it – AM. It’s still used in radio broadcasting. Surprisingly digital modulation is even older than AM. Its oldest form is Morse code translator.
The 21st-century telecom systems use internet protocols to transmit data.
The Telecom Industry
In the past 150 years, the telecom industry went from single users of telephones to a large network of global companies. Telecom systems are handled by telecom service providers. They offer communication services (telephone, TV, internet) and everything related to them.
In some countries, the telecom industry is handled by the government. Others have dozens of different providers. Different companies can provide different types of telecom services. They are:
- Internet service providers
- Wireless service providers
- Radio broadcasters
- TV broadcasters
- Satellite TV providers
The industry includes manufacturers of telecom equipment, telecom services, and wireless communications. As new technologies appear, providers offer a new variety of services. In the past, this caused telecom billing challenges. Currently, they are handled by appropriate software.
The Importance of Telecom Systems
Telecom systems are the foundation of many businesses around the globe. Without them, a huge variety of services humanity is used to would disappear.
As new technologies come, telecom systems become more and more sophisticated. However, some of the oldest telecom methods and systems are still in place.
Knowing how telecom systems work can help you get an insight into the way many companies, devices, and services operate.
