In telecommunications, multiplexing refers to a set of techniques that enable the sharing of the usable electromagnetic spectrum of a telecommunications channel (the channel passband) among multiple users for the transfer of individual information streams. It is assumed that the user information streams join at a common access point to the channel. The term “multiple access” is usually applied to multiplexing schemes by which multiple users who are geographically dispersed gain access to the shared telecommunications facility or channel. Various methods of multiplexing and multiple access are in common use.