Information and communication technologies

Definitions

Information and communication technologies (ICT)

“

[is] an umbrella term that includes information technology and any communication devices or applications, encompassing radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems, and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning.

”

“

covers a wide range of services, applications, technologies, devices and software, i.e., tools such as telephony and the Internet, distance learning, televisions, computers, and the networks and software required to use these technologies, which are revolutionizing social, cultural and economic structures by creating new attitudes towards information, knowledge, working life, etc.

”

“

encompasses all technologies for the capture, storage, retrieval, processing, display, representation, organization, management, security, transfer, and interchange of data and information.

”

“

[a]ny information technology, equipment, or interconnected system or subsystem of equipment that processes, transmits, receives, or interchanges data or information.

”

Overview

The term is sometimes used in preference to information technology (IT), particularly in two communities: education and government.

In the common usage it is often assumed that ICT is synonymous with IT; ICT in fact encompasses any medium to record information (magnetic disk/tape, optical disks (CD/DVD), flash memory, etc. and arguably also paper records); technology for broadcasting information — radio, television; and technology for communicating through voice and sound or images — microphone, camera, loudspeaker, telephone to cellular phones. It includes the wide variety of computing hardware (PCs, servers, mainframes, networked storage), the rapidly developing personal hardware market comprising mobile phones, personal devices, MP3 players, and much more; the full gamut of application software from the smallest home-developed spreadsheet to the largest enterprise software and online services; and the hardware and software needed to operate networks for transmission of information, again ranging from a home network to the largest global private networks operated by major commercial enterprises and, of course, the Internet. Thus, "ICT" makes more explicit that technologies such as broadcasting and wireless mobile telecommunications are included.

United States

“

The term ICT is increasingly used instead of IT (information technologies) because of the convergence of telecommunications and computer technology. However, the current [U.S.] federal legislative framework for cybersecurity does not reflect that convergence and generally treats IT and telecommunications as separate technologies.

”

European Union

“

Information and communications technology has become the backbone of our economic growth and is a critical resource which all economic sectors rely on. It now underpins the complex systems which keep our economies running in key sectors such as finance, health, energy and transport; while many business models are built on the uninterrupted availability of the Internet and the smooth functioning of information systems.

”