Telecommunications is the real-time transmission of audio and visual information via electromagnetic signals. It encompasses a wide range of communication methods, including the radio, phone, and television, but the modern telecommunications industry focuses predominantly on the internet as the transmission medium for all of the above and much more.

While the internet and computer networks used to be the sole purview of specialized IT experts, their growing role in every aspect of society makes it ever more crucial for business leaders and end users alike to have a basic understanding of how they work.

Nicole Rennolds, writing for TechRepublic Premium, presents this quick glossary of key terms and concepts to help you gain a foundational understanding of telecommunications technology.

Featured definition from the download:

NFV

Network functions virtualization refers to replacing physical network appliances with virtual machines. NFV decouples telecommunications services like routing, switching, and loan balancing from the specialized physical hardware they typically run on. Virtualization thus allows organizations to run some or all network functions from a single device, reducing hardware costs and making deployments much faster.

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