Communication interconnects: which transmission system typically provides the highest data rate to a single attached device?

Introduction:
Not all links are created equal. Some are engineered for long distance and sharing, others for ultra-high local bandwidth. Understanding which interconnect class delivers the highest per-device data rate clarifies why internal computer fabrics look very different from wide-area circuits.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We compare a local computer bus with various telecom links.
• “Highest data rate to an individual device” means peak local attachment bandwidth, not aggregate network capacity.
• Assume modern examples: PCIe lanes vs. dial-up modems vs. copper leased lines.

Concept / Approach:
A computer bus (e.g., PCI Express) connects components at chip or board level, offering gigabytes-per-second throughput per device with very low latency. In contrast, telephone lines and voice band modems are limited by voice-bandwidth channels (kilobits per second historically). Leased lines deliver higher WAN speeds than dial-up but remain far below on-board interconnect bandwidth and typically serve shared network segments rather than a single internal device link.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Define the metric: peak per-device attachment rate.2) Evaluate options: computer bus (chip/board interconnect) vastly outstrips telecom circuits in raw throughput.3) Exclude telephone/modem as low-rate legacy media.4) Exclude leased lines due to WAN nature and lower per-device rates.

Verification / Alternative check:
PCIe Gen4/Gen5 per-lane rates (multi-GB/s) eclipse typical WAN circuits by orders of magnitude, confirming the bus’s advantage.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Telephone lines/Voice band modem: severely bandwidth-limited.
• Leased lines: higher than dial-up but still far lower than local buses; also designed for site-to-site networking.
• None of the above: invalid because the computer bus clearly wins.

Common Pitfalls:
Comparing aggregate WAN capacity with dedicated device links; the question asks about rate to an individual device.

Final Answer:
Computer bus