# Frequency-Division Multiplexing
**A method of [[Circuit Switching|circuit switched]] [[multiplexing]] which divides the bandwidth of a shared communication medium into distinct frequency ranges.**
![[Frequency-DivisionMultiplexing.svg|450]]
*A representation of FDM; every device, each indicated by a colour, is provided with its own frequency band which it can use as it requires*
**Frequency-division multiplexing** or **FDM** is a method of [[multiplexing]] used in [[Circuit Switching|circuit switched]] networks in which the bandwidth of a shared communication medium is divided into *distinct frequency ranges*, each dedicated to a different signal or connection.
Frequency-division multiplexing allows each connection to use the constant bandwidth of its assigned frequency band for the duration that it is active.
Frequency-division multiplexing is known as *frequency-division multiple access* or *FDMA* when used as a [[channel access method]].