The 3 basic features of telecommunications
Once upon a time, a business’s telecommunications system may have involved phones and not much more. Today, the technologies that support telecommunications have expanded rapidly. Your systems may include everything from a landline or VoIP through to computers and portable electronic devices. In many businesses, different types of telecommunications work alongside one another to promote smoother communications.
Terminals and channels
All telecommunications networks depend on terminals. They’re the components that allow communications to stop and start. It may help to think of a terminal as the place where a signal enters and leaves in order to facilitate communications.
There’s no point in having a terminal without having a channel to support it. The best example of a modern channel is the wireless signal. Wireless signals allow you to transmit data, calls, and even videos and photos. In 2018, more than 42-million gigabytes of wireless data were transmitted in the United States alone.
Telecommunications processors
As you may already be aware, the information that passes through channels requires a lot of processing before it reaches the end-user. Whether you’re speaking to someone over the phone or sharing a file from one device to another, processors need to convert the signals into a usable format.
In a lot of cases, this means moving from analog to digital and then back to analog again. The analog to digital converter (ADC) receives information in analog and then continuously processes it so that it’s sent back again as digital. In the case of audio signals, information needs to be transformed from digital back to analog again before the person receiving the audio can hear it.
Telecommunications software
The information that passes through different telecommunications channels needs software to support it too. The type of software you use will depend on your telecommunications of choice. For example, it’s expected that there will be 34 million VoIP users in the United States alone by the end of 2020. All those users need software to facilitate their experience.
Similarly, any messaging apps and email programs you use need software to power them. They may also need secondary programs to make sure your communications remain safe. Without the right software, your telecommunications cannot be safe or seamless.
The types of data being submitted
As we’ve already highlighted, telecommunications come in lots of wonderful formats now. Although voice conversations will continue to reign supreme for a while, many businesses rely on instant messaging. Instant messaging allows your employees to quickly share their thoughts on a project or task while giving the recipient the chance to respond in their own time. Similarly, emails are sent throughout the day and can be accessed on a variety of devices.
In addition to the written word, telecommunications data can include images, files, and videos. Some people also choose to send voice notes, as they’re quick and convenient. All the data that’s being submitted requires a range of devices, which must feature the software to support it. With the right software, it’s possible to send data from one type of device to another, without the message getting lost along the way.
With all these basic components, telecommunications in your business will remain seamless. They’ll also support your daily operations and help you to become more productive.
