ICT and Wireless Technology in the Community

Introduction

            There have been many new technologies invented in the world but not has had a lot of impact like information and   communication technology or ICT. ICT has revolutionized the way we live since it touches all aspects of our life. One of the most important factors in human life is communication.  ICT has revolutionized the way we communicate with other people with increased sharing of information.  ICT has been instrumental in the integration of different countries in the world and indeed opening up the whole world. ICT has also been instrumental in changing the life of people in different communities owing to the increased sharing of information.  In my community, we have different services which are supported by ICT and Wireless technology including cell phone communication, community radio, and a Community Networks project which has been aimed at bringing ICT services to the people in the community.  In this paper we are going to review the various ways in which the information technology and wireless technology has contributed to the development of the community.

Contribution of Information Technology and Wireless Technology in my community

Information and Wireless technology have made various contributions in my community. There are various ways in which ICT and wireless technology has changed the life of community members especially on sharing of information

(i) Phone communication

Communication is one of the most important ways which assist people in the community to stay together. Communication helps people to share information and knowledge. Without effective communication, the community would be in chaos. it is through communication that every member in the society understand the roles that they have to play  and how they are supposed to related with one another.

There are various modes of communication but the most dominant ways have been communication though the world of mouth. However this is limited by distances. ICT and wireless technology has contributed in my community through improve cell phone communication. Cell phone communication unlike word of mouth of use of trunk dials enables individuals in the community to share information from one person to the other at their conveniences. This means that individuals can be reached through their phones regardless of the position they are in. Cell phones also assist the community member to community with other people outside the community. This plays an important as it enables flow of new ideas to the community.

(ii) Community Radio

Keeping the community information of what is happening in the surrounding is important in order to have an information community. The community radio is one of the most important ways in which ICT and Wireless Network has contributed to the community.  The community radio has been very crucial in creating an informed community on various matters ranging from political, economical and social information. The community radio was started with an aim of giving the community members a chance to share their own information in the most important way that they understand each other.

The following is a diagrammatical illustration of the community radio

As can be seen in the connection of the networks, the radio broadcast is connected to community coordinator which is then connected to the homes and businesses.  On the other end, the community radio connects important social amenities like police or law enforcement, fire rescue, and medical or relief services. Therefore the radio is not only used in passing important information to the community but it also assists community members to access important security services.

(iii) Community Network Project

Community Networks was set up five years ago with   aim of bringing information services to the people. There was an immediate digital divide that was diagnosed in the community owing to the reason that there were very few sources of information to the community. Therefore it was found out there the community was lagging behind in different areas especially on current issues taking place in the world due to constrained access to information.  The following were the objectives of the project;

• Ensuring free accessible community wireless networks
• Developing open tools  and resources which would help to build and operate the  community wireless networks
• Educated the public on how to use Wireless and Computing technology
• Connecting the  Community Networks to  national and regional networks to benefit to the networks

In setting up the project, the community was led by the philosophy that technologies should be accessed by all peopled without regard to the technical expertise. However  in order to ensure that there is increased access and  maintenance of the project, the project was to be free in  term of accessing the network but individual have to pay for the maintenance of the project over the time. However the payment is not monetary but it is rather in different form like volunteering, sharing individual networks, and many others.

How does the Community Networks work?

Community Networks is a mirror the social networks in the community. It is  project that is aimed at ensuring that the community members have  increased chances of accessing information and sharing information with one another in an outside the community. The project is therefore a simplified communication network in the community the helps community members to share nay information they have.

The following is a diagrammatical representation of the community Networks

                                                            Connection to others

(WAN)                                Homes

This network has been found important and it plays different roles in the community. The Community Networks enables the following services to be accessed by the community members;

• Creating opportunities through networking with various people in and outside the community
• Access to health care information through the publication of local information from the health center and community  health workers
• Extends the school network letting students and teachers easily access the network resource from the comfort of their homes. It also grants enhanced experience, filed trips and preservation in group projects.
• In business community, it enhances acquisition of goods and inventory control. It has also enabled e-commerce in the local stores where individual can shop online and receive their good through door to door delivery
• Enhance public safety through improved communication on public safety, responding to fire emergences, fighting forest fires, added radio coverage through Radio over IP
• Harnessing community development through shared ideas   and celebration with the government

ICT and Wireless has enabled the concept of mobility and connected in the community. These projects have opened up the community to the outside world through sharing of information.  The various projects discussed above have been instrumental in enabling the community members to become a part of globalization.  These projects have contributed to enhancement of life of the community in the following ways;

• Cell phones have enabled communication between different member of the community and the those outside the community
• Cells phones have been used in advanceman of the economic life of the people since they are used in businesses
• The community radio has been instrumental in dissemination importation information to the people  and  airing  educative programs
• The community networks have connected the community to the world through internet connection opening the community to many other frontiers in education, health, safety and others.

Conclusion

ICT and Wireless technology has revolutionized our life in various ways. ICT and wireless technology has opened up the world to all communities through sharing of information. Digital divide is creating a big difference in communizes which have been left behind in inventing in ICT and Wireless technology for its members. My community has taken several steps which have ensured that it benefits from investing in ICT and wireless technology though cell phones, community radio, and community networks.