Information and communications technology is more than just computers; it is a global infrastructure.

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Information and communications technology, or ICT, is an umbrella term for the systems that store, transmit, and manipulate information. From radio and television to smartphones and artificial intelligence, these tools are reshaping global society, education, and governance, even as they struggle to reach the world's most remote populations.

ICT is an extensional term for information technology that emphasizes the integration of telecommunications, such as telephone lines and wireless signals, with computer networks. It encompasses a vast array of hardware, including satellites, robots, and digital televisions, alongside the software and services that allow users to access and process information. The concept is constantly evolving; while the term gained popularity in the late 1990s, some institutions, like the Royal Society in 2012, have suggested moving toward more specific terminology like computing to better reflect modern programming needs.

The economic scale of ICT is immense, with global IT spending estimated at over US$6 trillion in 2022. Despite this massive investment, the deployment of technology is uneven. While approximately 74% of the global population was online by 2025, significant gaps remain. About 4.3 billion people still lack internet access, with 90% of them residing in developing countries. Furthermore, while mobile internet coverage reaches 96% of the global population, high-speed 5G access remains limited to only 4% of inhabitants in low-income nations, highlighting a persistent digital divide.

Beyond connectivity, ICT is a powerful agent of social and political change. It facilitates accelerated pluralism, allowing social movements to organize rapidly and enabling citizens to engage in direct political discourse. In conservative regions, access to ICT has been linked to women rejecting justifications for intimate partner violence by exposing them to alternative societal norms. Governments are also increasingly relying on ICT for cybersecurity, data management, and digital literacy training, recognizing that these tools are essential for modern administration and public engagement in an era of evolving security risks.

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