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The combining of several signals in the
same communications channel, usually with the aim of increasing the amount
of data that can be transmitted. Several types of multiplexing exist, each
designed for a particular signal and cable type. Analog signals, for
example, are combined using frequency- division multiplexing (fdm), in which
the bandwidth is divided into parallel channels of different frequencies.
Digital signals can be transmitted using time-division multiplexing (tdm),
in which the signals are carried using alternating time slots. On fiber
optic networks, multiple signals are transmitted as light split into
different wavelengths, a process known as wavelength-division multiplexing (wdm).
This technique is being widely investigated to improve the speed of internet
backbones. |
