Telecommunications and the Internet rely on various transmission channels to transmit digital signals between computers and networks. Common channels include twisted pair wiring, coaxial cable, fiber optics, microwave transmission, and wireless technologies. These channels can transmit data at speeds ranging from 56 kbps for older modems up to several gigabits per second for newer fiber optic networks. The Internet itself is a global system of interconnected computer networks that uses standardized communication protocols like TCP/IP to link billions of devices worldwide.