What type of signal is often used in telecommunications?

Digital signals are often used in telecommunications because they are more efficient for transmitting information over long distances. Digital signals represent data as discrete values, typically in binary form (using 0s and 1s), which makes them less susceptible to noise and interference than analogue signals. This robustness allows for clearer and more reliable communication, enabling high-speed data transfer and improved integrity of transmitted information.

Furthermore, digital signals can be easily processed, compressed, and encrypted, enhancing the overall functionality of communication systems. Technologies such as digital modulation techniques exploit these properties to enable various forms of telecommunication, including cellular networks, satellite communications, and internet data transmission.

In contrast, analogue signals vary continuously over time and can degrade more easily when transmitted over long distances or through noisy environments, resulting in a lower quality of communication. Continuous waves and radio waves refer to the nature of specific types of signals or carriers used in telecommunications, but the overarching category that encompasses the broadest range of modern telecommunications infrastructure is digital signals.