real-time communications

RTC can take place in half-duplex or full-duplex modes. In half-duplex RTC, data can be transmitted in both directions on a single carrier or circuit but not at the same time. In full-duplex RTC, data can be transmitted in both directions simultaneously on a single carrier or circuit. RTC generally refers to peer-to-peer communications, not broadcast or multicast.

In RTC, there is always a direct path between the source and the destination. Although the link might contain several intermediate nodes, the data goes from source to destination without having to be stored anyplace. In contrast, timeshifting communications always involves some form of data storage between the source and the destination.

Real-time communications can include:

• Telephony in the conventional sense
• Mobile and cellular telephone
• Two-way or multi-way amateur radio
• IM (instant messaging)
• VoIP (Voice over IP, also called Internet telephone)
• IRC (Internet Relay Chat) or other chatting modes
• Live videoconference communications
• Live teleconference communications
• Robotic telepresence.

When you leave messages by email, on a bulletin board or on a blog, you're communicating in timeshifting mode, not real-time mode. There is a significant delay between the transmission and the receipt of the information.

Several variants of the term "real-time communications" are used by corporations as business names.

Read more about real-time communications: - In the United States, most RTC is governed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). - RTC worldwide is overseen by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Do you have something to add to this definition? Let us know. Send your comments to techterms@whatis.com

Digg This!     StumbleUpon     Del.icio.us

RELATED CONTENT Consider IBM Lotus SameTime for UC, not just Microsoft OCS For a successful unified communications (UC) deployment, enterprises should consider their options beyond the popular Microsoft OCS. UC applications make SMBs competitive with heavy hitters Ohio-based Celina Insurance's UC implementation of IM and collaboration tools has more than made up for its smaller size. What's the difference between collaboration and web conferencing? Although the terms "collaboration" and "web conferencing" are similar, there are subtle differences in their meanings that can better help you...

RELATED GLOSSARY TERMS Terms from Whatis.com − the technology online dictionary Web conferencing  (SearchUnifiedCommunications.com) Web conferencing is a form of real-time collaboration in which multiple computer users, all connected to the Internet, see the same screen at all...