Telecommunications deals with the transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic system.

The term telecommunications was first used for wired telephony. Today, telecommunications is one of the most important of the contemporary ICTs. They include wire and wireless telephony, voice, data, and image transmission.

During the last few years, information and communication technologies underwent a sea change with the emergency of the Internet Protocol (IP) as the de-facto standard for both network systems and digital equipment. This protocol made possible the integration of digital technologies to the convergence of computer, broadcasting, and telecommunications.

The deployment of telecommunication access and of computer resources is a critical factor in ensuring population has access to the benefits of the new economy. Failing to provide this access we exacerbate the digital divide between the info-rich and the info-poor. However, this task requires common effort by the public and private sectors, communities, and other institutions. Also, integration is taking place in the form of large numbers of virtual communities