Data Transmission

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What Does Data Transmission Mean?

Data transmission is the process of sending digital or analog data over a communication medium to one or more computing, network, communication or electronic devices. It enables the transfer and communication of devices in a point-to-point, point-to-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint environment.

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Data transmission is also known as digital transmission or digital communications.

Techopedia Explains Data Transmission

Data transmission can be analog and digital but is mainly reserved for sending and receiving digital data. It works when a device or piece of equipment, such as a computer, intends to send a data object or file to one or multiple recipient devices, like a computer or server. The digital data originates from the source device in the form of discrete signals or digital bit streams. These data streams/signals are placed over a communication medium, such as physical copper wires, wireless carriers and optical fiber, for delivery to the destination/recipient device. Moreover, each outward signal can be baseband or passband.

In addition to external communication, data transmission also may be internally carried to a device. For example, the random access memory (RAM) or hard disk that sends data to a processor is also a form of data transmission.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.