International Telecommunication and Information Society Day [tomorrow]
Congratulations to us, media from around the world. Tomorrow [05/17] is our day! This is one of those dates which are not reported, but it mean something of great importance in our age: telecommunication. Read!
By @jpcppinheiro
“The ability to convey important information quickly across great distances, filling the voids of time and space, has expanded exponentially all human activities from sending personal messages to perform complex financial transactions or approach critical issues of war and peace . The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day highlights the transformative and challenging role of communications and information in societies and the universal need to communicate and cooperate across borders.”
With these words, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, clearly shows the importance of celebrating the 17th of May, the UN General Assembly established as The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
To communicate is the act of exchanging knowledge, promote an idea, news or information, making others aware of a particular subject.
Telecommunication is a way to extend the normal range of communication [in Greek tele means “away”] and the word communication comes from the Latin communicare, which means “to make common”, “share”, “confer”.
The 17th of May was elected as International Telecommunications Day because on that day in 1865, was founded the International Telegraph Union, which in 1930 became the International Telecommunication Union [ITU].
International Telecommunication Union
First intergovernmental organization in the world, the ITU has expanded its activities with the development of telecommunications media. Nowadays, the agency works to coordinate the media in the world, becoming compatible, for example, the various technical systems.
It also develops activities to spread the equal access to communication and information technologies.
The ITU is the United Nations system agency responsible for issues related to Information and Communication Technologies [ICT]. Throughout its 145 years of existence, ITU has been coordinating the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoting international cooperation in the area of orbital satellites, working on improving the telecommunications infrastructure along the developing countries, establishing global standards for providing interconnection between various communication systems, and pay particular attention to emerging global issues such as climate change, accessibility and strengthening of the cybersecurity.
ITU aims to “Connect the World” through the mobilization of human, technical and financial resources needed to achieve the connectivity targets set within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and the Regional Initiatives. Thus, ITU is committed to supporting the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 and foster bridging the digital divide worldwide.
Telegraph: the pioneer
Everything started with the telegraph and we evolved until the popularization of the Internet, the worldwide network of computers that made the world a place without geographical boundaries, where the distance does not exist. It is wonderful to have friends of various nationalities, this phenomenon has never been seen or experienced in our history.
Samuel F. B. Morse, which gives the name to that famous code, invented an electromagnetic telegraph in 1832 and constructed an experimental version in 1835. He did not build a truly practical system until 1844, when he rode a line from Baltimore to Washington, DC
The Telegraph Samuel Morse used in his first line in 1844 was very simple — a steel spring that could be pressed against a metal contact. Alfred Vail, Morse’s Partner, designed this device, in which the spacing was more easily adjustable because of changes in spring tension. It has been used in the expansion of the telegraph system since perhaps the autumn of 1844 and certainly in 1845.
Ten years after the construction of the first telegraph line, almost 37,000 km of wires were crossing the United States. The invention profoundly affected the development of the West, became safer the train travelling and allowed businessmen would lead their operations more profitably.
Another invention further relates to the telegraph, guess what, was the telephone! But we have already addressed in another post about his invention… Click here and read [in portuguese] the post “Happy Telephone Day !!”.
The rise of the Internet
Interactive media outlet, in which the user has the possibility to include and work, the computer network enables all kinds of exchanges between human beings, since the expression of a political opinion through petitions or e-mails to legislators, even romantic encounters.
Indeed, interactivity is the key to Web 2.0 concept that encompasses intensive exercise of interaction with users individually or in groups creating their means to communicate and disseminate information through websites and blogs.
The internet arises in the United States in the 60s, during the Cold War, from a network of military information linking command centers and research.
To meet the need to protect the defense systems of the country in case of a nuclear attack, the network does not have a “center” that could serve as the main enemy target. In the 70s starts to be used by the global academic community, and in 1975, are made the first international connections. During this period, the connected computers are only 200.
In 1997, according to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Price Waterhouse, American marketing consultancy companies, the number of users reaches 60 million worldwide. According to the projections of growth should reach 300 million in 2000.
“The Internet has revolutionized global communications by allowing, for example, the conversation between users thousands of miles away for the price of a local call…”
Technological advances facilitated the modern life and have been significantly helping in providing the information where they arise more quickly and efficiently. Nowadays, besides personal communication, we can communicate by beeper, cell phone, pager, e-mail, electronic communication resources.
The conversations sites allow people to communicate from anywhere in the world, at the same time. We can not forget the importance of newspapers and magazines, which also lead people information.
In conclusion, it is clear that without the Telecommunications, the world we know today would not be possible, would not exist! The innovations brought many improvements, and do not stop there. The evolution never stops!
Sources: Brasil Escola [Brazil School]; UOL Escola [UOL School]; Smartkids; ONU Brazil; IF-UFRGS [Institute of Physics — Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul]
