Time-division multiple access

Time-division multiple access (TDMA) is a way to share a single communication channel, like a phone line or an internet connection, between multiple people. Instead of everyone using the channel at the same time, TDMA breaks up the channel into small pieces of time, like slices of a pie, and assigns each slice to a person. That way, everyone can use the channel to send and receive information in turn, without getting in each other's way. So, for example, one person might be able to use the channel for 5 minutes, then somebody else can use it for 5 minutes, and then the first person can have it for 5 minutes again. That way, everyone can have a turn speaking or sending data without getting in each other's way.