What key factor measures the performance of a communication channel?

The Bit Error Ratio (BER) is a critical metric for assessing the performance of a communication channel. It quantifies the number of bit errors in a transmission relative to the total number of bits sent, thus providing a clear measure of reliability and quality. A lower BER indicates better performance, meaning that the channel successfully transmits data with fewer errors, which is essential for effective communication.

In communication systems, various factors can influence the BER such as noise, interference, and signal distortion. Understanding the BER allows engineers to evaluate how well a channel can transmit information accurately and to make necessary adjustments to enhance performance, such as improving modulation techniques or increasing signal power. Accurate BER assessments are essential for ensuring that data integrity is maintained across different types of communication networks.

While other options like frequency range, signal power, and transmission delay play important roles in communication systems, they do not directly reflect the accuracy and reliability of data transmission in the same way that the Bit Error Ratio does.