Frequency Division Multiplexing

(FDM)
What is Frequency Division
Multiplexing?
Frequency-Division Multiplexing
(FDM) is a scheme in which numerous
signals are combined for transmission on a
single communications line or channel. It is
analog technique. Each signal is assigned a
different frequency (sub channel) within the
main channel.
What is Frequency Division
Multiplexing?
FDM requires that the bandwidth of a link should
be greater than the combined bandwidths of the
various signals to be transmitted. Thus each signal
having different frequency forms a particular
logical channel on the link and follows this
channel only. These channels are then separated
by the strips of unused bandwidth called guard
bands.
What is Frequency Division
Multiplexing?
In FDM, signals to be transmitted must be analog
signals. Thus digital signals need to be converted
to analog form, if they are to use FDM.

Twisted-pair lines are common in households and

small businesses. But major telephone cables,
operating between large businesses, government
agencies, and municipalities, are capable of much
larger bandwidths.
Guard Bands
Channels can be separated by strips of unused
bandwidth guard bands to prevent signals from
overlapping.
In addition, carrier frequency must not interfere
with the original data frequencies.
Analog Technique
FDM an analog multiplexing technique
(combines analog Signals).

However, this does not mean that FDM cannot be

used to combine sources sending digital signals. A
digital signal can be converted to an analog signal
before FDM is used to multiplex them.
Multiplexing Process
Each source generates a signal of a similar frequency
range.
Inside the multiplexer, these similar signals modulates
different carrier frequency (f1, f2, f3).
The resulting modulated signals are then summed into a
single composite signal and is sent out over a media link
that has enough bandwidth to accommodate it.
FDM Process
Multiplexing Process
The composite signal transmitted across the
medium is analog.
The input signals may be either digital or analog.
A digital signal must be passed through a modem
Demultiplexing Process
At the receiving end, the composite signal is passed through
bandpass filters, each filter decompose the multiplexing
signal into its constituent component signals.
Individual signals are then passed to a demodulator that
separates them from their carries and process them to the
output lines
FDM Demultiplexing Process
Advantages of FDM:
A large number of signals (channels) can be
transmitted simultaneously.
FDM does not need synchronization between its
transmitter and receiver for proper operation.
Demodulation of FDM is easy.
Due to slow narrow band fading only a single
channel gets affected.
Disadvantages of FDM:
The communication channel must have a very
large bandwidth.
Intermodulation distortion takes place.
Large number of modulators and filters are
required.
FDM suffers from the problem of crosstalk.
All the FDM channels get affected due to
wideband fading.
Applications of FDM
As an example of an FDM system, Commercial
broadcast radio (AM and FM radio)
simultaneously transmits multiple signals or
"stations" over the airwaves. These stations each
get their own frequency band to use, and a radio
can be tuned to receive each different station.
FDM is used in television broadcasting.
First generation cellular telephone also uses
FDM.
Orthogonal FDM
Orthogonal Frequency Division
Multiplexing (OFDM) is a more modern
variant of FDM that uses orthogonal sub-carriers
to transmit data that does not overlap in the
frequency spectrum and is able to be separated
out using frequency methods. OFDM has a
similar data rate to traditional FDM systems, but
has a higher resilience to disruptive channel
conditions such as noise and channel fading.