What’s Information and Communications Technology?

Technology and how we communicate are constantly evolving. The telegraph and telephone of the 1800s paved the way for email, instant messaging, social media, Zoom calls, and other modern means of communication conducted using smartphones, tablet computers, and laptops.

For most people, using technology to communicate is a natural part of their daily lives, both personally and professionally. Information and communications technology (ICT) is an umbrella term that encompasses all applications, networking components, infrastructure, and devices associated with computing and the exchange of information.

For those who are considering a career in ICT, a degree like a bachelor’s in IT with a concentration in information and communications technology can be invaluable. With the right foundation, graduates can position themselves to enter this competitive, rewarding field.

Information and Communications Technology Defined

While they share common ground, information and communications technology is not precisely the same as IT. IT covers technologies that focus on ways of storing and transferring information — the hardware, software, and networking infrastructure.

By comparison, ICT is broader in scope, consisting of all technologies, components, and infrastructure that foster communication and our ability to access information. ICT includes telecommunications devices; IT doesn’t. For example, a landline telephone is categorized as ICT because it’s used as a communication device, but it is very rarely used to transmit data.

According to IT publisher TechTarget, ICT consists of the following components:

Devices (hardware)
Software
Middleware
Data
Wired networks
Wireless networks
Computer networks
Communication technologies
Cloud entities and services
Communications protocols and interfaces
Information security and information governance policies

Pros and Cons of Information and Communications Technology

The evolution of information and communications technology has created both significant advantages and unforeseen disadvantages. When new technologies are developed, they typically address a problem or deliver efficiency to a process. However, some emerging technologies also create problematic by-products or unplanned challenges.

The main positives of ICT include:

Networks and devices are more accessible than ever
Expansive coverage areas
Access to numerous avenues of communicating and accessing information
Increased efficiency and convenience
Macro-level communication

The negatives of ICT include:

Increased privacy and security risks
More potential for communication faux pas or misunderstandings
The ability for macro-level communications to be leveraged for misinformation and disinformation
Upward-trending risk of technology dependence as more people adopt it
Potential hindrance of social skill development and the ability to have face-to-face interactions

The Role of Information and Communications Technology in Business

Information and communications technology is highly integrated in the modern business environment. In fact, an organization’s ability to leverage ICT to its advantage often determines its success.

For example, videoconferencing has proved to be an effective alternative to in-person meetings, revolutionizing the way teams interact and increasing access to remote work opportunities. Since the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), many businesses have found ways to improve efficiency by integrating AI into their operations, giving rise to a new category of AI-specific roles across industries.

Organizations of all sizes across every industry use ICT to communicate, serve customers, receive payments, and handle data. Most companies are so reliant on the components of ICT that they can’t conduct operations without them, especially companies in the technology sector.

ICT gives companies the following abilities:

Data collection, analysis, and storage
Effective and efficient business operations management
Internal and external communications
E-commerce transactions
Cloud computing
Remote work and collaboration
Customer service and troubleshooting
Automation of simple or repetitive tasks
Advanced computing and data processing
Digital marketing and advertising

Example: How Amazon Leveraged ICT

Amazon is a great example of a company leveraging ICT to gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. From 1994 to 1998, the company exclusively sold books online, providing ease and convenience as an alternative to physical bookstores. Amazon’s online format has been equated to unlimited “shelf space,” mitigating the barrier of consumers being unable to locate a book because it’s sold out or the bookstore doesn’t carry it.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Amazon collects user data to recommend titles and influence buyer behavior through targeted marketing. This strategic use of data is one of the main reasons Amazon was eventually able to take over a space previously dominated by brick-and-mortar stores.

Careers in ICT

As information and communications technology evolves and becomes increasingly vital across industries, the roles available to ICT-trained graduates adapt and change alongside it, opening doors to new opportunities.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for computer and information technology professions as a whole was $105,990 as of May 2024. While this encompasses a wide range of occupations, many of them are information and communications technology professions.

Some specific careers in ICT include:

Technology Support Specialist: An entry-level information and communications technology role, working within organizations to help other employees with technological issues and ensure systems run properly
Data Analyst: Tasked with collecting, organizing, and interpreting data for companies and clients, helping businesses understand what is or isn’t working and make strategic decisions
Web Developer: Create and design websites and landing pages, communicating with customers to drive and cultivate business.
Database Administrator: Responsible for ensuring databases operate properly and are organized efficiently, collecting, organizing, and managing data

ICT Skills

Careers in information and communications technology can require skilled professionals to be proficient with a wide range of programs. Across many ICT careers, however, some soft skills are universally useful. Some of these include:

Active listening and communication
Adaptibility
Time management and organization
Attention to detail

Pursue an Innovative Career in ICT

Innovations in information and communications technology and its many applications drive the modern business world. ICT has not only evolved the way we communicate and access information, but it has also created numerous career paths. Those with the right education and training qualify to become software developers, database administrators, computer systems analysts, and other rewarding roles in the ICT field.

The best place to get started is by exploring your education options, such as the online Bachelor of Science (BS) in IT with a concentration in ICT offered by NCCU Online. Taught by experienced instructors in a virtual format, students will learn the most important skills and competencies relevant to their career path, including the following: