Impact of Telecommunications on National Development and Globalization

Telecommunication is the science and technology of communication at a distance by electronic transmission of impulses via telegraph, cable, telephone, radio or television. Unprecedented growth in information exchange from 281 petabytes in 1986 to 65 exabytes in 2007 has necessitated the continuous inventions by telecommunication industries to meet up with the demand and this has significantly widened up the industry over the years. Consequently, telecommunication industry has impacted positively on National development and globalization.

Thus, National development can be seen as a process that involves extending the benefits of development such as constructing of roads, sinking of boreholes, building of schools, hospitals, etc to the people. National development cannot be possible without development communication, hence, telecommunication. Development communication is the use of communication in the development process. Thus, telecommunication industry has made it easier for the development agents to communicate to the people, to carryout the development programme effectivetly via Radio, Television, etc.

Secondly, Telecommunication industry made communication easier, unlike the days when people depend on written letters,etc to communicate with one another. Atleast one can stay at the comfort of his/her house and reach out to someone very far from him via telephone, skype, fax, etc. Thirdly, with the aid of telecom, people get to learn new culture, languages, new ways of doing things like farming and the likes through satelites, internet, etc. All these, help in the development of the Nation.

Globalisation: this is the process of internationation integration arising from the interchange of worldviews, products, ideas and other aspects of culture. It can also be seen as the fact that different cultures and economic systems around the world are becoming connected and similar to each other because of the influence of large multinational companies and of improved communication. Thus, telecom industry has impacted immensely to globalisation. If not for improved way of communication, that is with the invention of satelite, cable, internet, Tv, Radio, etc.

There is no way someone in Nigeria will get to know what is happening in America. But with telecom, we get to learn languages, culture, make business deals, trade, etc between one country and another. Finally, three areas telecom industry has affected business marketing, communication amongst human and aided national security. The service revenue of global telecom industry was estimated to be $1. 7trillion in 2008. These services include wireless communications, communication equipments and related ancillary services such as sales and marketing of equipments, installation and repairs of gadgets.

This has over the years generated over 40 million jobs globally. Reducing the mitigating effect of world economic crisis which had crumbled the world economy. Online trading activities which include Forex trading has directly been facilitated and this has contributed immensely to the gross domestic products of the economy. There is no perfect society devoid of quarrels, misunderstanding, violence; verbal and physical. This translates into the world at large; diplomatic rows, boundary disputes, genocides,etc.

Telecommunication and indeed telecom industry have made it possible to check the menace posed by communal classes and diplomatic vandetta. It becomes possible to monitor wars and other happenings within a location through the world geographical satelites. Disasters such as the Tsunami in Japan were adequately managed to prevent the extiction of the whole generations of people via relief materials donated by philantropist and other donors. Through internet, ideas, views, products, etc can be shared easily between people and from the comfort of their homes or offices.