Communications

From Star Trek: Gamma One

Communication, particularly over a government as vast as that of the Federation, is very important. Whether its a short communication, like that of one combadge to another, a local communication like a ship to a planet, or long distance like one system to another, communication is required. Still, even with all of the technological advances of the Federation real time communications can only happen over a few light years, and the rest is delayed while the message transmits.