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In communications, a "channel" is the "path" or "route" which a message follows, as it is transmitted between a communication source and a receiver. More specifically, in telecommunications, the term has the following definitions:

1. A connection between initiating and terminating nodes of a circuit.
2. A single path provided by a transmission medium via either
   1. physical separation, such as by multipair cable or
   2. electrical separation, such as by frequency- or time-division multiplexing.
3. A path for conveying electrical or electromagnetic signals, usually distinguished from other parallel paths.
4. The portion of a storage medium, such as a track or a band, that is accessible to a given reading or writing station or headSome dictionaries define close to thirty meanings of the word head . However, a majority of usages are associated with the connotation of forward, top, essential, control, etc. which are derived from attributes of an animal head (or brain). In anatomy, th.
5. In a communications systemIn telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment ( DTE) usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form, the part that connects a dataA datum is a statement accepted at face value (a "given"). Data is the plural of datum''. A large class of practically important statements are measurements or observations of a variable. Such statements may comprise numbers, words, or images. Etymology T source to a data sinkIn plumbing, a sink is a bowl-shaped fixture, usually made of porcelain (or, especially in the kitchen, stainless steel), that is used for washing hands or small objects such as dishes, nylons, socks or underwear. Old sinks were often made of enameled ste.
6. A specific radio frequencyRF can also denote rheumatoid factor Radio frequency or RF refers to that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in which electromagnetic waves can be generated by alternating current fed to an antenna. Such frequencies account for the following parts of or band of frequencies, usually in conjunction with a predetermined letter, number, or codeword, and allocated by international agreement. For example 802.11b consists of unlicensed channels 1-13 from 2412MHz to 2484MHz in 5MHz steps.
7. In particular, a television channel. Examples include North American TV Channel 2 = 55.25MHz, Channel 13 = 211.25MHz
8. "channels" in Internet Relay ChatInternet Relay Chat (IRC is a form of instant communication over the Internet. It is mainly designed for group (one-to-many) communication in discussion forums called channels but also allows one-to-one communication. IRC was created by Jarkko Oikarinen ( (IRC) which are named and based upon digital distinction as opposed to analog distinction.
9. An ion channel is a gate in a membrane that allows the passage of certain types of molecules.

See also: interference, baseband