The Internet As The Face of Telecommunications

Digital Telecommunications, also known as telecom, is a broad term that defines the exchange of information over long distances. Telecom includes various sectors with one thing in common, a transmitter and a receiver. The medium of signal transference between a transmitter and a receiver can be achieved via various means— including fibre cable, amongst others. The internet, therefore, can be viewed as the face of telecommunications due to its widespread use.

The main advantage of telecommunications is interconnectivity. Before the advent and advancement of information and communication technology (ICT), print material determined the degree of access one had to information. Essentially, this information was only accessible to those who could afford it. That is, by purchasing books and news publications.

Telecommunications, by way of the internet, has allowed for interconnectivity in the world of print. One uses the internet to read books and newspaper articles irrespective of the type of device or telecommunications infrastructure available to you. Thanks to the internet, libraries and institutions of learning are no longer confined to physical buildings.

The internet is fundamental to, what I like to call, the second face of telecommunications – cellular or smart phones, because the optimal use thereof is driven by the building blocks of the internet. Your device, the internet, and the data required to access the internet, are the amalgamation of interconnectivity in a pocket-sized tool.
Anything you can think of can be accessed via the internet.

You can study “at” a foreign institution and learn a foreign language with the help of the internet, for example. Various resources are instantly available, albeit at a financial cost. Despite various societal challenges prompted by ICT and telecom, many solutions to these challenges can be found either through the improvement of ICT, or on platforms enabled by ICT such as websites, blogs, podcasts, or online journal articles.

Internet messaging platforms and telecom services are open to anyone and yet have a fair share of exclusivity. It is the cost-effect that determines accessibility. Internet messaging platforms, because of their nature and development infrastructure, are cheaper and faster.

The further development and rollout of telecom infrastructure can also solve the issue of universal access and bridging the digital divide. Examples include public telephones, and public Wi-Fi hotspots. Universal access is also presented through long-standing research in Artificial Intelligence (AI), which talks about redefining universal access.

Internet Protocol (IP) has gained widespread acceptance as standard protocol for data transmission from one IP address to another. Newer protocols are yet to be tested to enjoy the same global acceptance as IP. In the telecommunications realm, vulnerabilities exist at different levels and in different forms for the different and vast types of services that exist. Notwithstanding the overarching regulations for telecommunications, regulations must be structured in response to the unique offerings of a telecommunications service.

Telecommunications services are regulated differently from a production and development perspective and are marketed differently. The latter has a direct impact on cost as a driver of accessibility.

In terms of telecommunications in business, at the Coega Development Corporation, digital transformation is a core organisational deliverable. Coega promotes digitisation and supports all digital transformation objectives.

The Corporation has long been cognizant of the fact that business is largely reliant on digital capabilities, notwithstanding the accelerated pace of institutionalisation brought on by the global Covid-19 Pandemic, but rather based on its vision as a leader in innovative business practices and service delivery.

Management acknowledges aspects of digital transformation that are not technical in nature or that do not require a technology-based solution, including digital transformation initiatives that break operational silos, dispel toxic organisational cultures, and promote mutually beneficial relationships between employees and clients thereby allowing for ease of business. For example, change management processes and one-on-one training and operational support. In order to achieve success in technology, it is crucial to focus on the people and the related business processes.

Digitisation cannot be achieved in isolation of people and processes. And so, it is the same with digital transformation.

Coega utilises several internal applications for generic use and management by employees, as well as those specific to business areas, such as internet-based systems for various business units of the organisation, including Coega Human Capital Solutions and Consulting, Coega Vulindlela Accommodation and Conference Centre, and the Bluewater Bay Sunrise Hotel, to mention a few. These systems act as the interface between the business and external clients and stakeholders.

The Corporation not only focuses on physical infrastructure development but also the development of telecommunications infrastructure championed by Coega Technologies and Consulting, a division of the Coega Development Corporation. Through the development of telecommunications infrastructure and related support, Coega Technologies and Consulting ensures that clients in and around the Coega Special Economic Zone are capacitated and digitally equipped.

Coega understands that the greater majority of businesses rely on telecommunications and has thus made significant investments in a three-tier data centre and related infrastructure to provide at a minimum, reliable connectivity, and the assurance of information security. Moreover, Coega is a state-owned company that is certified in the ISO standards, more specifically the ISO 27001 for Information Security. This accolade places the Corporation in good stead, confirming sound and secure business practices.

In conclusion, it is plausible to state that the internet dominates the telecommunications industry and serves as the catalyst for communication between electronic devices, including voice, video, and data. Without the internet, it would be extremely challenging to transfer information and data with the current platforms enabled by digital technology. Furthermore, while the internet itself is a network of networks made up of numerous telecoms networks, it” remains a product on its own.

• Veronica Monyobo, Chief Knowledge and Digital Officer (Acting) at Coega