At its core, a telecommunication relay is an electronic device used to receive a signal, amplify it, and then forward it to another location. The main purpose of such systems is to overcome the loss of signal strength that occurs over long distances. As signals travel across telecommunication networks, they tend to weaken, a phenomenon known as attenuation. Relays help counteract this issue by boosting the signal and making it strong enough to reach its destination clearly.

    Relays work by utilizing various transmission mediums, such as cables, fiber optics, radio frequencies, and satellites, to forward information. For example, in satellite communication, a telecommunication relay involves a satellite in orbit that receives signals from one ground station, amplifies them, and then retransmits them to another location on Earth. Similarly, in optical fiber communication, repeaters placed along the fiber optic cable help to regenerate the optical signals, ensuring that the data reaches the farthest locations without loss of quality.