Information communications technologies
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Information communications technologies ICT is an umbrella term that includes "any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, the Internet, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning."
ICT is not comprised of only the Internet (or World Wide Web) and computers, a common misconception.
ICT is distinct from associated terms including Information Technology (IT), Information Systems (IS) and Data Processing (DP) or Data Management (DM).
ICT is a term increasingly used as a result of the convergence of information, communications, and technologies. This convergence has accelerated in pace from the mid 1990s onwards, and is now increasingly related to the role of ICT in creating and nurturing an Information Society. Thus ICT should be seen from societal and developmental perspectives rather than a technology perspective
[edit] WSIS, ICT and the Global Information Society
On 12 December 2003, the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) [1] affirmed the Geneva Declaration of Principles related to Building the Information Society: a global challenge in the new Millennium. ICT was acknowledged to have a key role in addressing this global challenge and plays a key role in the Geneva Plan of Action. Nearly 50 Heads of state/government and Vice-Presidents, 82 Ministers, and 26 Vice-Ministers from 175 countries as well as high-level representatives from international organizations, private sector, and civil society attended the Geneva Phase of WSIS and gave political support to the Geneva Declaration of Principles and Geneva Plan of Action that were adopted on 12 December 2003.
Tunis Phase of WSIS was between 16-18 November 2005, whose main objective was to put Geneva's Plan of Action into motion as well as to find solutions and reach agreements in the fields of Internet governance, financing mechanisms, and follow-up and implementation of the Geneva and Tunis documents.
Nearly 50 Heads of state/government and Vice-Presidents and 197 Ministers, Vice Ministers and Deputy Ministers from 174 countries as well as high-level representatives from international organizations, private sector, and civil society attended the Tunis Phase of WSIS and gave political support to the Tunis Commitment and Tunis Agenda [2] for the Information Society that were adopted on 18 November 2005.
