Interference (communication)

In telecommunications, an interference is that which modifies a signal in a disruptive manner, as it travels along a communication channel between its source and receiver. The term is often used to refer to the addition of unwanted signals to a useful signal. Common examples include:

• Electromagnetic interference (EMI)
• Co-channel interference (CCI), also known as crosstalk
• Adjacent-channel interference (ACI)
• Intersymbol interference (ISI)
• Inter-carrier interference (ICI), caused by doppler shift in OFDM modulation (multitone modulation).
• Common-mode interference (CMI)
• Conducted interference

Noise is a form of interference but not all interference is noise. Noise can also have multiple causes, such as temperature and material makeup of nearby objects and electronics. Dithering is a form of noise that can be used on purpose. In CDMA channels, interference can specifically be linked to simultaneous accessing of a single, identical channel by multiple individuals.

Radio resource management aims at reducing and controlling the co-channel and adjacent-channel interference.