Digitized information is stored in a binary code of combinations of numbers 0 and 1, also called bits, which represent words and images. Digital technology makes it possible to compress immense amounts of information onto small storage devices that are easy to store and transport. Digitization also accelerates data transmission speeds. Digital technology has transformed the way people communicate, learn and work. Telecommunications relies on digital methods to transmit messages. In the early 1980s, improvements in optical fiber enabled the development of digital communications networks. Digital technology has replaced analog signals for many forms of telecommunications, particularly cellular phone and cable systems. Analog-to-digital converters used pulse code modulation (PCM) to transform analog data into digital signals. Compared to analog transmissions, digitized signals were less distorted and could easily be