What is Forward Error Correction?

Forward Error Correction (FEC) is a technique used for controlling errors in data transmission over unreliable or noisy communication channels. The sender encodes the data with redundant information (error-correcting code) so that the receiver can detect and correct a limited number of errors without needing to ask the sender for retransmission. It is commonly used in applications where retransmission is impractical or impossible, such as satellite communication, deep space communication, data storage, and real-time streaming.