Telecommunication

The telecommunications industry delivers telephone, television and Internet service to hundreds of millions of people. These services are the basic means of communicating for businesses, households and individuals. When electronic communication is disrupted, all means of disseminating critical information shut down. People and businesses are left in the dark until contact is restored.

Telecommunications is primarily service-oriented. Cable television, wired Internet access, wireless Internet access, cellular telephony and satellite television are some of the services offered. All of these are crucial to the functionality of the economy.

The industry is divided into sectors, the largest of which is hardwired communications. Businesses in this sector provide cable television, Digital Subscriber Line Internet access and landline telephone service. Despite the successful penetration of mobile technologies into most environments, wired telecommunications is still the largest sector.

The other sectors differ from the hardwired sector in that they transmit digital data wirelessly. Wireless Internet and mobile telephony are the two biggest sub-sectors within this overall sector. Data is transmitted by transforming it into electronic signals sent over a network of radio towers. This network can extend for hundreds of miles and even across the globe when satellite systems are used.

The most exciting development within the overall industry is the replacement of copper wires with fiber-optic cable. This allows telecommunications companies to increase the volume of data they can transmit. This quantity is known as "bandwidth". More bandwidth means greater speed for Internet service, allowing customers to transmit and download data faster.

Wireless Internet and mobile phone carriers are also working to expand their competitiveness with wired providers. The next few years should see the deployment of a large-scale wireless network within urban areas. Data transmission is expected to be much faster and therefore much more efficient, enabling wireless companies to compete more effectively within target markets.

The ability of technicians to diagnose and repair problems remotely has been a huge boon to telecommunications. Digital data is transmitted over wired and wireless networks by means of routers and switches. These devices have become sophisticated to the point that they require little maintenance in order to function properly.

Since telecommunications is already well ensconced within the economy, the employment situation is not expected to change. Students whose career assessment scores reveal a preference for telecommunications are encouraged to gain postsecondary electronics training. This training will help them find secure positions within this stable industry.