Editing Data communication (section)

{{Short description|Transfer of data over a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint communication channel}}
{{Redirect|Data transfer|sharing data between different programs or schemas|Data exchange}}
{{Redirect|Digital communication|the sociological aspects|Computer-mediated communication}}
{{Broader|Communication}}
{{Merge from|Data in transit|discuss=Talk:Data communication#Proposed merge of Data in transit into Data communication|date=March 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2021}} 

[[File:Pine Hill Lookout and Towers 1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Radio towers at Pine Hill Lookout]]
'''Data communication''', including '''data transmission''' and '''data reception''', is the transfer of [[data]], [[signal transmission|transmitted]] and received over a [[Point-to-point (telecommunications)|point-to-point]] or [[point-to-multipoint]] communication channel. Examples of such channels are [[copper wire]]s, [[optical fiber]]s, [[wireless]] communication using [[radio spectrum]], [[storage media]] and [[computer bus]]es. The data are represented as an [[electromagnetic signal]], such as an [[electrical voltage]], [[radiowave]], [[microwave]], or [[infrared]] signal.

''[[Analog transmission]]'' is a method of conveying voice, data, image, signal or video information using a continuous signal that varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that of a variable. The messages are either represented by a sequence of pulses by means of a [[line code]] (''[[baseband]] transmission''), or by a limited set of continuously varying waveforms (''[[passband]] transmission''), using a digital [[modulation]] method. The passband modulation and corresponding [[demodulation]] is carried out by [[modem]] equipment.

'''Digital communications''', including '''digital transmission''' and '''digital reception''', is the transfer of 
either a [[digitize]]d analog signal or a [[born-digital]] [[bitstream]].<ref name="Clark" /> According to the most common definition, both baseband and passband bit-stream components are considered part of a [[digital signal]]; an alternative definition considers only the baseband signal as digital, and passband transmission of digital data as a form of [[digital-to-analog conversion]].