There are various elements in ICT such as,

Hardware: Which involves physical devices used to perform ICT operations, such as Computers, Servers, and mobile phones. 

Software: Includes system software elements such as operating systems, and applications like MS Word, Excel and more.

Networks: Connectivity is the key component of ICT, this includes Internet, Local Area Networks, and Wide Area Networks. 

Media/Visual Elements: ICT propagates the distribution of text, images, videos and any other medium through applications such as streaming platforms, and multimedia applications. 

Data Management: Databases, Cloud management, and Data storage in general make up a big part of Information and Communication Technology.

Benefits of ICT: How Information and Communication Technology has improved Ties

Communication is a key component of the ICT mix. In recent years, Information and Communication Technology has evolved to make way for better connectivity among peers and industries. 

Traditional on-premise private branch exchange (PBX) telephony systems built on hard-wired exchanges and equipment are giving way to a new telecommunications infrastructure, based on digital data transfer. 

For instance, Voice over Internet Protocol (also known as Voice over IP, or VoIP) converts voice signals into a digital data stream that can be transmitted over network connections, offering long-distance and international communication at a fraction of the cost of standard telephone calls.

 VoIP can be used on compatible telephone hardware, specialist VoIP handsets, desktop computers, and laptops, or via mobile apps.

ICT - smartphones

Mobiles phones are undoubtedly one of the biggest byproducts of ICT. Smartphones have revolutionized the way information is consumed. With mobile phones, people now have a world of information, entertainment, and communications options, at their fingertips.

As per the new data released from GSMA Intelligence, there are currently over 5.4 Billion mobile phone users in the world, with over 120 Million users added just in the last 12 months. 

A study by Reviews.org reveals that 66% of Americans check their phones 160 times every day. Almost the same number of people in the United States (65.7%) admit to sleeping with their smartphones at night.

Reliance on IT
(Image source: reviews.org)

It’s not difficult to understand the appeal. Besides voice and video calls, mobile users have instantaneous access to email, electronic fax (eFax), social media, and instant messaging (IM) tools. All of these are supported by a vast and growing ecosystem of mobile apps and online resources. 

With the invention and leverage of Artificial Intelligence, these already prominent tools have become even more resilient. Applications that use AI are not only being embraced by organizations to double down their productivity but are also being used by individuals as a creative outlet. 

Information communication technology (ICT) is now blurring the lines between telephony and the Internet. Organizations now have access to Unified Communications or UC, a platform based on VoIP that allows for the mixing of telecommunications with office productivity software, databases, multimedia, and online resources. 

UC implementations can be localized within the enterprise, or made available to subscribers from the cloud, as an on-demand resource dubbed “Unified Communications as a Service” or UCaaS. This takes a cloud-based approach to integrating business communication tools into a single, streamlined platform. 

These tools can include services like VoIP telephony, video conferencing, file sharing, collaboration, and instant messaging. 

This approach highlights the consolidation and streamlining opportunities that ICT offers to the enterprise. Unified Communications as a Service can be an alternative to on-premises Unified Communications tools, a VoIP-only implementation, or a non-unified suite of business communication tools that include a mixture of cloud apps and traditional software from multiple vendors.