Telecommunications:

'Data communications', 'Communications technology', 'Computer telecommunications', Compunications', 'Telecomputing', etc., are just some of the terms we come across in our 'current literature on the subject. Most of these terms are used to describe a process, that of transmitting a message from one point to another by electronic means, and the devices used to achieve this process. The process is well known and we engage in this process daily as we speak to one another. We call this the communications process. Therefore, "TeIn ease many messages are being sent and received at any one time between many different points; switching mechanisms are needed to ensure that all messages arrive as quickly as possible, without bottle necks encountered along the way. For an easy understanding of this concept, we can compare this message traffic to city traffic, flowing in many directions and controlled by traffic lights which allow only a certain number of vehicles to move in a given direction at any one time. Telephone messages  lecommunications may be defined as the transmission of representations of information between remote locations by electronic means. This information may be in the form of Voice, Video, or data generated by, a computer". (Kenney, 1981) When we use the telephone to talk with each other, we engage in a telecommunications process. We use the telephone instrument (which might be characterised as a terminal) to enter our message (data) for transmission to another point; at the destination, another terminal is used to receive our message and return one if needed. The two terminals are connected by an electronic communications channel 'or link, which serves to carry the message from point A to point B and back again. A telecommunication process, thus consists of data to be transmitted (our messages), devices called terminals to send and receive messages, and a communications channel (see the fig.).  

In ease many messages are being sent and received at any one time between many different points; switching mechanisms are needed to ensure that all messages arrive as quickly as possible, without bottle necks encountered along the way. For an easy understanding of this concept, we can compare this message traffic to city traffic, flowing in many directions and controlled by traffic lights which allow only a certain number of vehicles to move in a given direction at any one time.