Types of Telecommunication Systems

What exactly is a telecommunication system? You may be among the many individuals who are likely scratching their heads and struggling in vain to come up with a concrete definition for this term. In an era of constant innovation and technological evolution, you can be forgiven for forgetting that popular telecommunication hardware is quite dated. Identifying the different types of telecommunication systems in use today can help you gain a more substantial appreciation for the technology driving our society.

One of the oldest and most common forms of telecommunication systems used historically and in modern times is optical telecommunication. Optical telecommunication can be defined as the use of light to transmit information. Some of the more notable and familiar examples of optical telecommunication systems include navigation lights, flares, semaphore communication and smoke signals. Although these nondigital methods of communication may seem antiquated, they are nevertheless integral elements of modern infrastructure. Fiber-optics and infrared sensors are also types of optical telecommunication.

Radio telecommunication is a widely used tool. One of the primary advantages of radio communication is that it can be used to communicate with individuals over long distances. Since the advent of the 20th century, radio telecommunication systems have evolved at a rapid pace and have become one of the most fundamental elements of modern day technology infrastructure.

Radio telecommunication systems have been implemented on both a professional and consumer-grade level, which further expands the reach of this highly versatile technology. The term "radio" does not solely cover devices such as radios. Standard cable television is a form of popular radio telecommunication that many individuals use on a daily basis.

In the world of telecommunication, specific communication tools are often classified by their status as either half-duplex or full-duplex. The primary difference between these two forms of communication is whether or not communication can occur simultaneously between both parties. For example, a full-duplex system, such as a cellular device, allows individuals to interact with one another simultaneously.

A half-duplex system, such as a radio transmitter, can only send a message when the recipient has not engaged the transmission device. In this sense, a half-duplex system only allows messages to be sent sequentially, rather than simultaneously. Although half-duplex systems may initially seem somewhat antiquated, keep in mind that even some modern internet systems rely upon this technology for their operation. With that in mind, the point should be made that a device's status as either half-duplex or full-duplex does not necessarily reflect its level of sophistication or its capacity.