Communication Systems

The communication system is a system which describes the information exchange between two points.
The process of transmission and reception of information is called communication. The major elements
of communication are the Transmitter of information, the Channel or medium of communication and
the Receiver of information.

Types of Communication Systems

Depending on signal specification or technology, the communication system is classified as follows:

(1) Analogue

Analogue technology communicates data as electronic signals of varying frequency or amplitude.

Broadcast and telephone transmission are common examples of analogue technology.

(2) Digital

In digital technology, the data are generated and processed in two states: High (represented as 1) and
low (represented as 0). Digital technology stores and transmits data in the form of 1s and 0s.
Depending on the communication channel, the communication system is categorised as follows:

1. Wired (Line communication)

Parallel wire communication

Twisted wire communication

Coaxial cable communication

Optical fibre communication

2. Wireless (Space communication)

Ground wave communication

Skywave communication

Space wave communication

Satellite communication

Examples of Communication Systems

The following are a few examples of communication systems:

1. Internet

2. Public Switched Telephone Network

3. Intranet and Extranet

4. Television

Elements of Communication Systems

The definitions of the terms used in the communication system are discussed below.

Information

Message or information is the entity that is to be transmitted. It can be in the form of audio, video,
temperature, picture, pressure, etc.

Signal
The single-valued function of time carries the information. The information is converted into an
electrical form for transmission.

Transducer

It is a device or an arrangement that converts one form of energy to the other. An electrical transducer
converts physical variables such as pressure, force, and temperature into corresponding electrical signal
variations. For example, a microphone converts audio signals into electrical signals. The photodetector
converts light signals into electrical signals.

Amplifier

The electronic circuit or device that increases the amplitude or the strength of the transmitted signal is
called an amplifier. When the signal strength becomes less than the required value, amplification can be
done anywhere between the transmitter and receiver. A DC power source will be provided for the
amplification.

Modulator

As the original message signal cannot be transmitted over a large distance because of their low
frequency and amplitude, they are superimposed with high frequency and amplitude waves called
carrier waves. This phenomenon of superimposing of message signals with a carrier wave is called
modulation, and the resultant wave is a modulated wave which is to be transmitted.

There are different types of modulation, and they are explained below:

i. Amplitude Modulation (AM)

The process of changing the amplitude of the signal wave by impressing or superimposing it on a high-
frequency carrier wave, keeping its frequency constant, is called amplitude modulation.

ii. Frequency Modulation (FM)

Frequency modulation is a technique in which the frequency of the message signal is varied by
modulating with a carrier wave. It is better than amplitude modulation because it eliminates noise from
various sources.

iii. Phase Modulation (PM)

The phase of the carrier wave changes the phase of the signal wave. The phase shift after modulation is
dependent on the frequency of the carrier wave as well. Phase modulated waves are immune to noise
to a greater extent.

Transmitter

It is the arrangement that processes the message signal into a suitable form for transmission and,
subsequently, reception.

Antenna

An antenna is a structure or a device that will radiate and receive electromagnetic waves. So, they are
used in both transmitters and receivers. An antenna is basically a metallic object, often a collection of
wires. The electromagnetic waves are polarised according to the position of the antenna.

Channel

A channel refers to a physical medium such as wire, cables, or space through which the signal is passed
from the transmitter to the receiver. There are many channel impairments that affect channel
performance to a pronounced level. Noise, attenuation and distortion, to mention the major
impairments.

Noise

Noise is one of the channel imperfections or impairments in the received signal at the destination. There
are external and internal sources that cause noise. External sources include interference, i.e.
interference from nearby transmitted signals (cross talk), interference generated by a natural source
such as lightning, solar or cosmic radiation, automobile-generated radiation, etc. The external noise can
be minimised and eliminated by the appropriate design of the channel and shielding of cables. Also, by
digital transmission, external noise can be minimised.

Internal sources include noise due to random motion and collision of electrons in the conductors and
thermal noise due to diffusion and recombination of charge carriers in other electronic devices. Internal
noise can be minimised by cooling and using digital technology for transmission.

⎫ A different cable design.

⎫ Proper design of the channel.

⎫ Use digital transmission

⎫ Using BPF or LPF at the receiver side.

Attenuation

Attenuation is a problem caused by the medium. When the signal is propagating for a longer distance
through a medium, depending on the length of the medium, the initial power decreases. The loss in
initial power is directly proportional to the length of the medium. Using amplifiers, the signal power is
strengthened or amplified so as to reduce attenuation. Also, digital signals are comparatively less prone
to attenuation than analogue signals.

Distortion

It is also another type of channel problem. When the signal is distorted, the distorted signal may have a
frequency and bandwidth different from the transmitted signal. The variation in the signal frequency
can be linear or non-linear.

Receiver

An arrangement that extracts the message or information from the transmitted signal at the output end
of the channel and reproduces it in a suitable form as the original message signal is a receiver.

Demodulator

It is the inverse phenomenon of modulation, i.e., the process of separation of the message signal from
the carrier wave takes place in the demodulator. The information is retrieved from the modulated wave.

Repeaters

Repeaters are placed at different locations in between the transmitter and receiver. A repeater receives
the transmitted signal, amplifies it and sends it to the next repeater without distorting the original
signal.
Block Diagram of Communication Systems
The block diagram given below represents the flow of the signal from the source to the destination. The
role of every device and arrangement discussed above will help to understand better.

Amplifier and Modulator both are almost same, but they are quite different from each other. Amplifier is
used to amplify the message signal for small distance while modulator is used to modify those signals which
are to be transmitted for very long distances with the help of carrier wave.

What is a transceiver?
A transceiver is a combination transmitter/receiver in a single package. While the term typically
applies to wireless communications devices, it can also be used for transmitter/receiver devices
in cable or optical fiber systems. The main functionality of this electronic device is to transmit, as
well as receive, different signals.
In local area networks, the transceiver is a part of the network interface card. It can both transmit
signals over the network wire and detect electrical signals flowing through the wire. However,
some types of networks require an external transceiver.
In wireless communication devices, like smartphones and cordless telephones, the transceiver is
built into the mobile device.
What is the difference between a transmitter and a transceiver?
A transmitter is a separate electronic component that generates a radio frequency (RF) current
or radio waves. These waves are used in communication systems to transfer data like audio,
video, etc. A transceiver, on the other hand, can both send and receive digital signals.
What role do transceivers play in a wireless communication network?
The role of a transceiver depends on its type. There are four types of transceivers used in wireless
communication systems:
RF transceivers are used in baseband modems and routers for analog (over the wire) and digital
transmission. They are also used in satellite communications networks.
Optical transceivers employ fiber optic transceiver technology to convert electronic signals into
light signals. They are high-speed transmission devices.
Ethernet transceivers are used to link electronic devices in Ethernet circuitry. They are also
known as media access units.
Wireless transceivers combine technology in Ethernet and RF transponders to improve Wi-Fi
transmission speed.
Applications of Transceiver?

What is an antenna or Aerial?

An antenna is a metallic structure that captures and/or transmits radio electromagnetic waves. Antennas
come in all shapes and sizes from little ones that can be found on your roof to watch TV to really big ones
that capture signals from satellites millions of miles away.

An antenna is a device or mechanism that is made of metallic material and absorbs or emits
electromagnetic waves, also called electromagnetic radiation. Antennas are used for many types of
telecommunication, a type of long-distance communication that uses radio waves to transmit messages
which are then converted into audio or other mediums.

Function of Antennas

Radio waves are electromagnetic waves, just like visible light. Unlike visible light, radio waves have much
longer wavelengths and are within the frequency range of 3 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz. Radio waves are
not detectable by the human eye. Antennas, however, can detect radio waves, allowing signals to be
analyzed and interpreted.

Antennas are made of a conductive material which allows for the easy absorption and conduction of
electromagnetic radiation. However, the antenna cannot create radio wave messages. Antennas only
send and receive radio wave messages created by other mechanisms; by itself, an antenna is just a
conductive piece of metal.
How does an Antenna Work?

Antennas have many uses. Telecommunication requires two antennas, a transmitter, and a receiver. What
is antenna transmission and reception? First, the information is converted into an electric current, which
is sent to the transmitter. Next, the transmitter sends the electric current through the transmitter's
antenna. When the antenna conducts this electric current, it sends out electromagnetic radio waves.
Then, radio waves are detected by the receiver's antenna, which absorbs incoming radio waves, making
the electrons in the antenna vibrate. The antenna conducts this electric current to the receiver of the
radio, TV, or other device. Finally, the signal is converted into sound, TV images, or whatever other
information is being transmitted.

What Does Transmitter Mean?

A transmitter is an electronic device used in telecommunications to produce radio waves in order to

transmit or send data with the aid of an antenna. The transmitter is able to generate a radio frequency
alternating current that is then applied to the antenna, which, in turn, radiates this as radio waves. There
are many types of transmitters depending on the standard being used and the type of device; for example,
many modern devices that have communication capabilities have transmitters such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth,
NFC and cellular.

A transmitter is also known as a radio transmitter. A transmitter is composed of:

Power supply — The energy source used to power the device and create the energy for broadcasting.

Electronic oscillator — Generates a wave called the carrier wave where data is imposed and carried
through the air.

Modulator — Ads the actual data into the carrier wave by varying some aspect of the carrier wave.

RF (Radio Frequency) amplifier — Increases the power of the signal in order to increase the range where
the waves can reach.

Antenna tuner or impedance matching circuit — Matches the impedance of the transmitter to that of the
antenna in order for the transfer of power to the antenna to be efficient and prevent a condition called
standing waves, where power is reflected from the antenna back to the transmitter, wasting power or
damaging it.

Receiver: It extracts the message signal from the transmitted carrier signal. It reconstructs actual signals
using output transducers. Transducers are devices that convert electromagnetic signals into sound, light
or electrical signals. It is present at the output end of the channel. here it segregates the message and
unwanted signals. The receiver operates on the received signal picked up from the transmitted signal at
the channel output and changes it to a form corresponding to the original message signal for delivering.
The relationship between antenna length, frequency and wavelength

The length of the antenna is inversely proportional to the frequency and directly proportional to the
wavelength. The higher the frequency and the shorter the wavelength, the shorter the antenna can be
made.

The standard equation for a wave is c = fλ, where c is speed of light, f is frequency and λ is wavelength. 3
x 108 m/sec, for efficient transmission of signals of wavelengths λ the minimum length of antenna should
be λ/4.

Size of Antenna or Aerial:

An antenna or aerial is a system of elevated conductors which couples the transmitter or

receiver to the communication channel. Thus it is required at both ends i.e. transmitter end
and receiver end. At a transmitter end, it converts electrical signals into electromagnetic waves,
while at a receiver end it converts electromagnetic waves into electrical signals.

For the efficient transmission and reception, the length of the antenna or aerial is such that it
acts as a resonant circuit at the frequency of operation. If λ is a wavelength of the RF signal
employed, then the length of the antenna is generally λ/4. As the wavelength is inversely
proportional to the wavelength, the length of the antenna decreases with the increase in the
carrier wave frequency.

Example- 1:

Calculate the required length of dipole antennas for following carrier waves

40 MHz

c = νλ

∴ λ = c/ν = 3 x 108 / 40 x 106 = 7.5 m

Length of antenna = λ / 4 = 7.5/4 = 1.875 m

400 MHz

c = νλ

∴ λ = c/ν = 3 x 108 / 400 x 106 = 0.75 m

Length of antenna = λ / 4 = 0.75/4 = 0.1875 m

The physical sizes of the transmitter and receiver antenna in a communication system are Inversely
proportional to carrier frequency.
Radio Wave Propagation
An energy wave generated by a transmitter is called a radio wave. The radio wave radiated into
space by the transmitting antenna is a very complex form of energy containing both electric and
magnetic fields. Because of this combination of fields, radio waves are also referred to as
electromagnetic radiation

Radio Wave Propagation:

Radio waves can exhibit three fundamental propagation behaviors depending on their frequency.

Ground wave (<2 MHz): Waves with low frequencies follow the earth’s surface and can
propagate long distances. These waves are used for, e.g., submarine communication or AM
radio.

Sky wave (2–30 MHz): Many international broadcasts and amateur radio use these short
waves that are reflected2 at the ionosphere. This way the waves can bounce back and forth
between the ionosphere and the earth’s surface, travelling around the world.

Line-of-sight (>30 MHz): Mobile phone systems, satellite systems, cordless telephones etc.
use even higher frequencies. The emitted waves follow a (more or less) straight line of sight.
This enables direct communication with satellites (no reflection at the ionosphere) or
microwave links on the ground.

Radio propagation categories:

There are a number of categories into which different types of radio propagation can be placed.
These relate to the effects of the media through which the signals propagate
 Free space propagation: Here the radio signals travel in free space, or away from other
objects which influence the way in which they travel. It is only the distance from the source
which affects the way in which the field strength reduces. This type of radio propagation is
encountered with signals travelling to and from satellites.

Ground wave propagation: When signals travel via the ground wave they are modified by
the ground or terrain over which they travel. They also tend to follow the earth's curvature.
Signals heard on the medium wave band during the day use this form of propagation. Read
more about Ground wave propagation

Ionospheric propagation: Here the radio signals are modified and influenced by the action
of the free electrons in the upper reaches of the earth's atmosphere called the ionosphere.
This form of radio propagation is used by stations on the short wave bands for their signals to
be heard around the globe. Read more about Ionosphere propagation

Tropospheric propagation: Here the signals are influenced by the variations of refractive
index in the troposphere just above the earth's surface. Tropospheric radio propagation is often
the means by which signals at VHF and above are heard over extended distances. Read more
about Tropospheric propagation.

Wireless Communication: Introduction, Types and Applications

Wireless Communication is the fastest growing and most vibrant technological areas in the
communication field. Wireless Communication is a method of transmitting information from one point to
other, without using any connection like wires, cables or any physical medium.

Generally, in a communication system, information is transmitted from transmitter to receiver that are
placed over a limited distance. With the help of Wireless Communication, the transmitter and receiver
can be placed anywhere between few meters (like a T.V. Remote Control) to few thousand kilometers
(Satellite Communication).

We live in a World of communication and Wireless Communication, in particular, is a key part of our lives.
Some of the commonly used Wireless Communication Systems in our day – to – day life are: Mobile
Phones, GPS Receivers, Remote Controls, Bluetooth Audio and Wi-Fi etc.
What is Wireless Communication? [Wired vs Wireless communication

Communication Systems can be Wired or Wireless and the medium used for communication can be
Guided or Unguided. In Wired Communication, the medium is a physical path like Co-axial Cables, Twisted
Pair Cables and Optical Fiber Links etc. which guides the signal to propagate from one point to other.

Such type of medium is called Guided Medium. On the other hand, Wireless Communication doesn’t
require any physical medium but propagates the signal through space. Since, space only allows for signal
transmission without any guidance, the medium used in Wireless Communication is called Unguided
Medium.

If there is no physical medium, then how does wireless communication transmit signals? Even though
there are no cables used in wireless communication, the transmission and reception of signals is
accomplished with Antennas.

Antennas are electrical devices that transform the electrical signals to radio signals in the form of
Electromagnetic (EM) Waves and vice versa. These Electromagnetic Waves propagates through space.
Hence, both transmitter and receiver consists of an antenna.

What is Electromagnetic Wave?

Electromagnetic Waves carry the electromagnetic energy of electromagnetic field through space.
Electromagnetic Waves include Gamma Rays (γ – Rays), X – Rays, Ultraviolet Rays, Visible Light, Infrared
Rays, Microwave Rays and Radio Waves. Electromagnetic Waves (usually Radio Waves) are used in
wireless communication to carry the signals.
An Electromagnetic Wave consists of both electric and magnetic fields in the form of time varying
sinusoidal waves. Both these fields are oscillating perpendicular to each other and the direction of
propagation of the Electromagnetic Wave is again perpendicular to both these fields.

Mathematically, an Electromagnetic Wave can be described using Maxwell’s equations. Pictorial

representation of an Electromagnetic Wave is shown below, where the Electric Field is acting in the Y –
axis, magnetic field is acting in the Z – axis and the Electromagnetic Wave propagates in X – axis.

A Brief History of Wireless Communication

Since the use of smoke signals, flags and flashing mirrors in the pre – historic period, Wireless
communication has been a part of human life and it is continuously evolving. Modern Wireless
Communication i.e., using electrical signals and radio waves for communication has been around us for
more than 100 years.

In the year 1897, Guglielmo Marconi successfully demonstrated the Wireless Telegraphy by sending EM
Waves for a short distance of 100 meters. This demonstration paved way for Radio Communication and
the term Radio is derived from Radiant Energy.

By early 1900’s, Trans – Atlantic radio transmission had been established, where Marconi successfully
transmitted messages in the form of Morse code. Since then, the technology related to wireless
communication and wireless system has advanced rapidly and thus enabling transmissions over longer
distances at low cost with cheaper devices.

Throughout the development of wireless communication, there are many wireless systems and methods
that flourished and many got disappeared. The best example for this is Telephone Communication and
Television Transmission. Initially, all telephone related communication was carried out (and still is) using
wired network, which we call it as Landline Telephone.

But the rapid growth of Mobile Communication started to replace the complex wired telephone system.
In this scenario, the wired technology became outdated and got replaced by wireless communication.

Another scenario where wireless communication got replaced by wired communication is Television
broadcasting. In the early days, television signals were broadcasted using wireless radio transmitters. But
this setup got replaced by cable television.

WHY???

When the medium of television was first introduced, viewers had no other choice but to use rooftop
antennas or so-called "rabbit ear" antennas in order to receive broadcast signals. If the location of the
transmitter and the location of the television set were not optimal, the signal could be weak to virtually
non-existent. In order to counter this loss of signal, some local television services would run lengths of
coaxial cable to certain customers, who paid a subscription fee to cover the company's expenses. This
became the first generation of cable television service, although it was not designed to do more than
provide customers with the same network broadcasts as those with clear reception through antennas.

Modern cable television, however, does offer a number of advantages over the original analog over-the-
air television broadcasts. One of the first advantages addressed by the earliest cable TV systems was better
reception. There was no longer a need for television viewers to make numerous adjustments to an
interior rabbit ear antenna or an external antenna mounted on the roof. The signal from a cable TV
system fed directly into the television set's internal tuner, resulting in a clearer picture and improved audio.

Some people prefer cable because it provides unique programming without some of the content
restrictions placed on traditional networks. Because cable television is a closed system, only subscribers
have access to the channels they choose to watch.

BTV vs other channels.

These two examples point out that with the development of technology, we always have to choose what’s
best for the situation i.e., in some areas we have to use wired communication whereas in the other, going
for wireless may be a better option.

Why Wireless Communication?

When wired communication can do most of the tasks that a wireless communication can, why do we need
Wireless Communication? The primary and important benefit of wireless communication is mobility.

Apart from mobility, wireless communication also offers flexibility and ease of use, which makes it
increasingly popular day – by – day. Wireless Communication like mobile telephony can be made
anywhere and anytime with a considerably high throughput performance.
Another important point is infrastructure. The setup and installation of infrastructure for wired
communication systems is an expensive and time consuming job. The infrastructure for wireless
communication can be installed easily and low cost.

In emergency situations and remote locations, where the setup of wired communication is difficult,
wireless communication is a viable option.

Advantages of Wireless Communication

There are numerous advantage of Wireless Communication Technology, Wireless Networking and
Wireless Systems over Wired Communication like Cost, Mobility, Ease of Installation, and Reliability etc.

Cost

The cost of installing wires, cables and other infrastructure is eliminated in wireless communication and
hence lowering the overall cost of the system compared to wired communication system. Installing wired
network in building, digging up the Earth to lay the cables and running those wires across the streets is
extremely difficult, costly and time consuming job.

In historical buildings, drilling holes for cables is not a best idea as it destroys the integrity and importance
of the building. Also, in older buildings with no dedicated lines for communication, wireless
communication like Wi-Fi or Wireless LAN is the only option.

Mobility

As mentioned earlier, mobility is the main advantage of wireless communication system. It offers the
freedom to move around while still connected to network.

Ease of Installation

The setup and installation of wireless communication network’s equipment and infrastructure is very easy
as we need not worry about the hassle of cables. Also, the time required to setup a wireless system like a
Wi-Fi network for example, is very less when compared to setting up a full cabled network.

Reliability (cut earphone cable while listening music)

Since there are no cables and wires involved in wireless communication, there is no chance of
communication failure due to damage of these cables, which may be caused by environmental conditions,
cable splice and natural diminution of metallic conductors.
Disaster Recovery

In case of accidents due to fire, floods or other disasters, the loss of communication infrastructure in
wireless communication system can be minimal.

Disadvantages of Wireless Communication

Even though wireless communication has a number of advantages over wired communication, there are
a few disadvantages as well. The most concerning disadvantages are Interference, Security and Health.

Interference

Wireless Communication systems use open space as the medium for transmitting signals. As a result, there
is a huge chance that radio signals from one wireless communication system or network might interfere
with other signals.

The best example is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi (WLAN). Both these technologies use the 2.4GHz frequency for
communication and when both of these devices are active at the same time, there is a chance of
interference.

Security

One of the main concerns of wireless communication is Security of the data. Since the signals are
transmitted in open space, it is possible that an intruder can intercept the signals and copy sensitive
information.

Health Concerns

Continuous exposure to any type of radiation can be hazardous. Even though the levels of RF energy that
can cause the damage are not accurately established, it is advised to avoid RF radiation to the maximum.

Basic Elements of a Wireless Communication System

A typical Wireless Communication System can be divided into three elements: the Transmitter, the
Channel and the Receiver. The following image shows the block diagram of wireless communication
system.
The Transmission Path

A typical transmission path of a Wireless Communication System consists of Encoder, Encryption,

Modulation and Multiplexing. The signal from the source is passed through a Source Encoder, which
converts the signal in to a suitable form for applying signal processing techniques.

The redundant information from signal is removed in this process in order to maximize the utilization of
resources. This signal is then encrypted using an Encryption Standard so that the signal and the
information is secured and doesn’t allow any unauthorized access.

Channel Encoding is a technique that is applied to the signal to reduce the impairments like noise,
interference, etc. During this process, a small amount of redundancy is introduced to the signal so that it
becomes robust against noise. Then the signal is modulated using a suitable Modulation Technique (like
PSK, FSK and QPSK etc.) , so that the signal can be easily transmitted using antenna.

The modulated signal is then multiplexed with other signals using different Multiplexing Techniques like
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) or Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM) to share the valuable
bandwidth.

The Channel

The channel in Wireless Communication indicates the medium of transmission of the signal i.e. open
space. A wireless channel is unpredictable and also highly variable and random in nature. A channel maybe
subject to interference, distortion, noise, scattering etc. and the result is that the received signal may be
filled with errors.

The Reception Path

The job of the Receiver is to collect the signal from the channel and reproduce it as the source signal. The
reception path of a Wireless Communication System comprises of Demultiplexing , Demodulation,
Channel Decoding, Decryption and Source Decoding. From the components of the reception path it is
clear that the task of the receiver is just the inverse to that of transmitter.

The signal from the channel is received by the Demultiplexer and is separated from other signals. The
individual signals are demodulated using appropriate Demodulation Techniques and the original message
signal is recovered. The redundant bits from the message are removed using the Channel Decoder.

Since the message is encrypted, Decryption of the signal removes the security and turns it into simple
sequence of bits. Finally, this signal is given to the Source Decoder to get back the original transmitted
message or signal.

Types of Wireless Communication Systems

Today, people need Mobile Phones for many things like talking, internet, multimedia etc. All these services
must be made available to the user on the go i.e. while the user is mobile. With the help of these wireless
communication services, we can transfer voice, data, videos, images etc.

Wireless Communication Systems also provide different services like video conferencing, cellular
telephone, paging, TV, Radio etc. Due to the need for variety of communication services, different types
of Wireless Communication Systems are developed. Some of the important Wireless Communication
Systems available today are:

Television and Radio Broadcasting

Satellite Communication

Radar

Mobile Telephone System (Cellular Communication)

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Infrared Communication
WLAN (Wi-Fi)

Bluetooth

ZigBee

Paging

Cordless Phones

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

There are many other system with each being useful for different applications. Wireless Communication
systems can be again classified as Simplex, Half Duplex and Full Duplex. Simplex communication is one
way communication. An example is Radio broadcast system.

Half Duplex is two way communication but not simultaneous one. An example is walkie – talkie (civilian
band radio). Full Duplex is also two way communication and it is a simultaneous one. Best example for full
duplex is mobile phones.

The devices used for Wireless Communication may vary from one service to other and they may have
different size, shape, data throughput and cost. The area covered by a Wireless Communication system is
also an important factor. The wireless networks may be limited to a building, an office campus, a city, a
small regional area (greater than a city) or might have global coverage.

We will see a brief note about some of the important Wireless Communication Systems.

Television and Radio Broadcasting

Radio is considered to be the first wireless service to be broadcast. It is an example of a Simplex

Communication System where the information is transmitted only in one direction and all the users
receiving the same data.

TV-and-Radio-Broadcast

Satellite Communication

Satellite Communication System is an important type of Wireless Communication. Satellite

Communication Networks provide worldwide coverage independent to population density.
Satellite Communication Systems offer telecommunication (Satellite Phones), positioning and navigation
(GPS), broadcasting, internet, etc. Other wireless services like mobile, television broadcasting and other
radio systems are dependent of Satellite Communication Systems.

Mobile Telephone Communication System

Perhaps, the most commonly used wireless communication system is the Mobile Phone Technology. The
development of mobile cellular device changed the World like no other technology. Today’s mobile
phones are not limited to just making calls but are integrated with numerous other features like Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi, GPS, and FM Radio.

The latest generation of Mobile Communication Technology is 5G (which is indeed successor to the widely
adapted 4G). Apart from increased data transfer rates (technologists claim data rates in the order of
Gbps), 5G Networks are also aimed at Internet of Things (IoT) related applications and future automobiles.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

GPS is solely a subcategory of satellite communication. GPS provides different wireless services like
navigation, positioning, location, speed etc. with the help of dedicated GPS receivers and satellites.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth is another important low range wireless communication system. It provides data, voice and
audio transmission with a transmission range of 10 meters. Almost all mobile phones, tablets and laptops
are equipped with Bluetooth devices. They can be connected to wireless Bluetooth receivers, audio
equipment, cameras etc.

Paging

Although it is considered an obsolete technology, paging was a major success before the wide spread use
of mobile phones. Paging provides information in the form of messages and it is a simplex system i.e. the
user can only receive the messages.

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)

Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN (Wi-Fi) is an internet related wireless service. Using WLAN, different
devices like laptops and mobile phones can connect to an access point (like a Wi-Fi Router) and access
internet.
Wi-Fi is one of the widely used wireless network, usually for internet access (but sometimes for data
transfer within the Local Area Network). It is very difficult to imagine the modern World without Wi-Fi.

Infrared Communication

Infrared Communication is another commonly used wireless communication in our daily lives. It uses the
infrared waves of the Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum. Infrared (IR) Communication is used in remote
controls of Televisions, cars, audio equipment etc.

Conclusion

A brief overview on Wireless Communication, Advantages and Disadvantages, Different Types of Wireless
Communication and also some important applications. If you feel we missed something or if you have a
good point about wireless communication, please share so that other readers might find it useful.