What is the role of signal modulation in digital communication?

Signal modulation plays a crucial role in digital communication by enabling the encoding of information for transmission. Modulation involves varying a carrier signal's properties—such as amplitude, frequency, or phase—in order to embed the necessary information within the signal. This process is essential because it allows the effective translation of digital data into a format suitable for conveying over different transmission mediums, such as radio waves or optical fibers.

By modulating a signal, the information can be transmitted more efficiently over long distances and can be better suited to the characteristics of the communication channel. For example, modulation techniques make it possible to transmit multiple signals over the same channel without interference, thus maximizing the effective use of available bandwidth.

While enhancing signal strength, decreasing latency, and filtering out noise are important aspects of communication systems, they do not capture the primary purpose of modulation. Signal strength and noise management are often addressed through different aspects of the physical layer and error correction techniques, rather than through modulation itself.