Internet Communication Technology Improving In Face of Economic Downturn

The whole world has been experiencing the consequences of economic turmoil, with bank bailouts, government spending cuts, and some countrie...

The whole world has been experiencing the consequences of economic turmoil, with bank bailouts, government spending cuts, and some countries facing the prospect of a double-dip recession. However, while traditional industries and commercial ventures have been taking serious hits through this period of instability, the internet communication technology that is altering the way we interact and do business is improving despite the problems. From 4G wireless internet and free wi-fi hotspots to faster fixed-line connection speeds and fiber-optic cabling, there has never been a better time for people to get online. The implications of this are far-reaching and for some commentators, it will be the internet that aids the global economy in its return to growth and prosperity.

Part of the reason behind the improvements in internet communication technology in recent years is that campaigners are beginning to convince governments that having web access is a basic human right and not a privilege available only to those who can afford it. Bodies such as the EU have recently rolled out legislation that will ensure telecom companies can invest in improving the infrastructure that facilitates web connectivity, as well as making broadband available not only in populated areas but also out in the more rural, remote regions of developed and developing nations.

Shifts in the type of consumer electronics that are most popular and widely available have also helped to improve internet-communication technology. Smartphones and tablet computers are becoming the first port of call for anyone who wants to surf the web, download files or carry out e-commerce transactions. This means that mobile network providers have to adapt to considerably heavier data use, while the businesses that run websites must optimize their pages for viewing on a mobile device rather than on a traditional desktop or laptop computer.

While this optimization of sites was certainly necessary for the early days, the hardware capabilities of smartphones and tablets have become so significant that it is easy for users to access a fully featured page without missing out on any element. Dual-core and now quad-core processors are becoming the standard thanks to smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and tablets such as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime. Support for multimedia elements embedded in Flash or HTML5 formats is also included on a growing number of internet-communication technology devices.

Of course, the rise of e-commerce and m-commerce is hurting traditional high-street retailers, with the proportion of the population who visit brick-and-mortar outlets to do their shopping decreasing. It seems that technological improvements and a greater focus on connectivity could actually be the savior of such outlets. Consumers are now used to researching products and prices on their smartphones while they are out and about, so retailers are keen to give them the tools to achieve this while keeping them in-store as they surf. In addition, the emergence of NFC (Near Field Communication) chips in smartphones, that allow users to turn their handset into a digital wallet to make payments at real-world shops, is making sure that there is a multichannel approach to retail available to all consumers.

While there can be no certainty about the economic future of the globe, it seems unlikely that wireless internet communication technology will not play a major role in promoting growth and driving innovation.