Customer Story

In earlier times, this may have involved the use of smoke signals, drums, semaphore, flags, or heliograph. In modern times, telecommunication typically involves the use of electronic transmitters such as the telephone, television, radio as well as computer.

Telecommunication in the world. Telecommunication is an important part of modern society. In 2006, estimates placed the telecommunication industry’s revenue at under 3% of the gross world product.

On the microeconomic scale, companies use telecommunication to facilitate the building of global empires. In big cities throughout the world, individuals use their telephones to provide many home services ranging from pizza deliveries to electricians. Even in relatively poor communities the use of telecommunication services has been on the comparatively high level.

On the macroeconomic scale, there is a link between the effective economic growth and good telecommunication infrastructure. Very few dare to dispute the existence of a correlation.

Because of the economic benefits of good telecommunication system, there is increasing disturbance about the digital divide. This is caused by the fact that the world’s population does not have equal access to telecommunication systems. The survey held in 2003 by the International Telecommunication Union showed that roughly one-third of countries of the world have less than 1 mobile subscription pro every 20 people as well as one-third of the countries have less than 1 fixed line subscription pro every 20 people. Concerning the Internet access, hardly half of all countries have less than 1 in 20 people with the connection Internet. An index that measures the overall ability of citizens to access and use information and communication technologies was defined. According to the data, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland have the highest ranking while the African countries Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali - the lowest.

On the US market there are two companies that do enhance the interrelation on the microeconomic as well as macroeconomic levels. These are AT&T and Verizon.

AT&T Inc. AT&T is the largest provider of both local and long distance telephone services, wireless service, and DSL Internet access in the United States. AT&T Inc. was founded in 1885 as The American Telephone and Telegraph Company. It was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies, or “Baby Bells.” AT&T is a holding company for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. It was created as a result of U.S. antitrust action against American Telephone & Telegraph Company in 1983. It took full control of Southwestern Bell Telephone in 1984.

Verizon. Verizon Communications, Inc. is a broadband and telecommunications company.

Verizon is also a component of the Dow 30. The name is a portmanteau of veritas and horizon. Verizon was founded in 1983 as Bell Atlantic Corporation. Verizon inherited seven Bell Operating Companies from American Telephone & Telegraph Company. Bell Atlantic originally operated in the U.S. states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C. Among the services offered by the company are wireless, Verizon Voice Wing, Video Data, and Directory operations.