Communication Media

Definition - What does Communication Media mean?

Communication media refers to the means of delivering and receiving data or information. In telecommunication, these means are transmission and storage tools or channels for data storage and transmission.

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Techopedia explains Communication Media

Different media are employed for transmitting data from one computer terminal to the central computer or to other computer systems inside some kind of network.

There are two forms of communication media:

Analog: Includes conventional radio, telephonic and television transmissions
Digital: Computer-mediated communication, computer networking and telegraphy

The most commonly used data communication media include:

Wire pairs
Coaxial cable
Microwave transmission
Communication satellites
Fiber optics

The communication media acts as a channel for linking various computing devices so that they may interact with each other. Contemporary communication media facilitate communication and data exchange among a large number of individuals across long distances via email, teleconferencing, internet forums and many other forms of communication.