the capacity of the telecommunications channel is limited. The Shannon theorem can be used to calculate the maximum possible transmission capability for the system over different distances. This limit is then used to design the telecommunications system SO it can transmit data at rates as fast as possible. The system SO designed has performed to expectation, indeed better because of ground system improvements, transmitting information back to the Earth at rates of 115.2 kbps from Jupiter, 44.8 kbps from Saturn, 29.9 kbps from Uranus and 21.6 kbps from Neptune. As the distances increase and as the craft's electrical power supplies diminish possible trans- mission rates decrease. Nevertheless, the systems are expected to communicate at rates of as low as 40 bps until 2057 (Table 4.3). This precise and efficient design of the Voyager telecommunications systems would not have been possible without the principles taught by Shannon's theorem. The information theory as formulated primarily through the research work at the Bell Laboratories by a number of researchers, of whom Claude Shannon is the prominent example, led to the development of digital telecommunications and the information and communica- tions technology (ICT) we are familiar with today. It enabled humankind to generate, process, analyse and disseminate information in unimaginable size and scope. The information the public and private organisations gather form one of their, if not the, most important assets. Information is a fundamental human need, and its mathematical formulation has revolution- ised the way our society works. Indeed, the extent of information theory now extends to a variety of fields including social sciences, biology and economics [10]. Table 4.3 Telemetry link transmission rate for Voyager 2 probe [7] Telemetry link transmission rate (bps) Broadband Telecommunications Technologies and Management Case Study 4.2: GSM VS CDMA The early 1990s saw competition between two multiple access technologies for mobile communications systems. The fi