IT AND COMMUNICATION

What Does Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Mean?
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is technology that is used to handle communications processes such as telecommunications, broadcast media, intelligent building management systems, audiovisual processing and transmission systems, and network-based control and monitoring functions.

Although ICT is often considered an extended synonym for information technology (IT), its scope is, in some ways, more broad. ICT is often used to describe the convergence of several technologies, and the use of common transmission lines carrying very diverse data and communication types and formats.

Finitegs Explains Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
In a very simplified sense, ICT is used to talk about all of the technologies that facilitate communications.

With that in mind, the term ICT has had several differing definitions applied to it. It’s generally associated with consolidating and managing telecom infrastructure and converging technologies that have common transmission lines.

In some cases, ICT is also associated with delivering telecommunication services to underserved areas, or promoting more vibrant telecommunications and IT networks and services to facilitate career development.

To look at how this works, let’s consider a given carrier that might offer a modern hybrid cloud model based on various principles or philosophies such as connectivity, security and unified channels. This type of integration of telecom and wireless services would sit in the category of ICT.

In a more traditional example, converging technologies that exemplify ICT might include the merging of audiovisual, telephone and computer networks through a common cabling system. Internet service providers (ISPs) commonly provide internet, phone and television services to homes and businesses through a single optical cable, so that is considered an example of ICT implementation.

ICT and Unified Communications
A discussion of ICT should also include a discussion of the term “unified communications.”

Unified communications basically refers to the broader delivery of diverse services through multiple device or platform types. Instead of the “bundling” that so often characterizes ICT, UC may rely on a much different paradigm.

In some cases, experts suggest that where ICT, refers to the convergence of technologies on common transmission lines, Unified Communications has more to do with a single private network platform that consolidates telecom and communication services.

In general, unified communication is a goal and a concept that’s being applied to enterprise IT. Where unified communications is a an objective, ICT will often have relevance.

What is Information and Communication Technology?
Information and communications technology (ICT) refers to all the technology used to handle telecommunications, broadcast media, intelligent building management systems, audiovisual processing and transmission systems, and network-based control and monitoring functions. Although ICT is often considered an extended synonym for information technology (IT), its scope is more broad.

Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data, or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. IT system is generally an information system, a communications system or, more specifically speaking, a computer system – including all hardware, software and peripheral equipment – operated by a limited group of users. The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. IT is considered to be a subset of information and communications technology (ICT).

ICT encompasses both the internet-enabled sphere as well as the mobile one powered by wireless networks. It also includes antiquated technologies, such as landline telephones, radio and television broadcast – all of which are still widely used today alongside cutting-edge ICT pieces such as artificial intelligence and robotics. The list of ICT components is exhaustive, and it continues to grow. Some components, such as computers and telephones, have existed for decades but smartphones, digital TVs and robots, are more recent entries.

Components of ICT

• Cloud computing – The term is generally used to describe data centers available to many users over the Internet. Large clouds, predominant today, often have functions distributed over multiple locations from central servers. If the connection to the user is relatively close, it may be designated an edge server. Clouds may be limited to a single organization (enterprise clouds), be available to many organizations (public cloud) or a combination of both (hybrid cloud). The largest public cloud is Amazon AWS .

• Software is a set of instructions, data or programs used to operate computers and execute specific tasks. Opposite of hardware, which describes the physical aspects of a computer, software is a generic term used to refer to applications, scripts and programs that run on a device. Software can be thought of as the variable part of a computer and hardware the invariable part. Software is often divided into application software, or user downloaded programs that fulfil a want or need, and system software, which includes operating systems and any program that supports application software.

• Hardware – in the context of technology, refers to the physical elements that make up a computer or electronic system and everything else involved that is physically tangible. This includes the monitor, hard drive, memory and the CPU. Hardware works hand-in-hand with firmware and software to make a computer function. Hardware is only one part of a computer system; there is also firmware, which is embedded into the hardware and directly controls it.

• Digital Transactions can be broadly defined as online or automated transactions that take place between people and organizations—without the use of paper. Digital transactions save time and money, resulting in a better bottom line. Customer experiences are also enhanced (think of the convenience of eSigning versus having to print a contract, sign it, and then return it by mail or fax). And digital transactions improve tracking capabilities—which helps reduce errors.

• Digital Data is data that represents other forms of data using specific machine language systems that can be interpreted by various technologies. The most fundamental of these systems is a binary system, which simply stores complex audio, video or text information in a series of binary characters, traditionally ones and zeros, or «on» and «off» values.

• Internet access is the process of connecting to the internet using personal computers, laptops or mobile devices by users or enterprises. Internet access is subject to data signalling rates and users could be connected at different internet speeds. Internet access enables individuals or organizations to avail internet services/web-based services. The internet began to gain popularity with dial-up internet access. In a relatively short time, internet access technologies changed, providing faster and more reliable options. Currently, broadband technologies such as cable internet and ADSL are the most widely used methods for internet access. The speed, cost, reliability and availability of internet access depends on the region, internet service provider and type of connection.

There are many different ways to obtain internet access, including Wireless connection, Mobile connection, Hotspots, Dial-up, Broadband, DSL or Satellite.

However, ICT commonly means more than its list of components, though. It also encompasses the application of all those various components.