The history of Information, communications and tehcnology (ICTs) industry dates back to when messages were transported from one point to another by roadrunners and pigeons. This evolved into letter writing. Soon came inventions such as radio and telephone. Today we can have instant communication with almost anyone in the world, either via telephony or the internet.
When we talk about Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs), though, we are referring to any facilities, services, networks and applications (including infrastructure, equipment, user devices, computer hardware and software, network protocols, etc) used in the capture, processing, transmission, storage, retrieval and display of information electronically (data), whether in form of text, imagery or voice. This includes phones, radio, television, computers, digital cameras, the networks on which these operate, and the internet.
However, ICTs in Uganda have evolved beyond being just about communication between two people. They are now globally regarded as a key infrastructure for social and economic development, in a context similar to other public infrastructure such as transport, electricity, drainage and sewage systems. This has been largely due to the transformative and catalytic effect of ICTs on different aspects of the economy and our daily lives, both directly and indirectly.
One of the key drivers of the developments in ICTs is convergence. This convergence phenomenon resulted in the integration or combining of different previously discrete functionalities (telecommunications, broadcasting and/or computing/information technology) into a single device or solution. A telephone became a computer, a camera, a radio or television, shop, compass all rolled in one. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) or Industry 4.0 has enhanced this convergence trend, further integrating different technologies. 4IR enables transformation (in production, work and elsewhere) by using systems that integrate the capability of sensing, computation, control and networking into physical objects (like household appliances, cars, electricity meters, factory machines) and infrastructure to connect them to the Internet and to each other.
There are three key transformational technologies in the ICT industry today associated with the 4IR. The first of these is Artificial Intelligence (AI). This involves intelligent machines that are able to mimic human intelligence (the understanding, thinking and acting) while handling a task that normally a human would perform. AI learns from new information (data) and experiences, then uses logical reasoning to solve problems or handle tasks.
The second one is Distributed Ledger Technology (Blockchain). This is an immutable distributed or decentralised database (i.e., without a central repository) that grows in “blocks” with addition of transaction records. The blocks are chained together by cryptographic signatures. The transaction records cannot be changed or deleted, and may be viewed or seen by anyone with authorised access to the blockchain network.
The third is Internet of Things (IoT): These are physical devices with electronics implanted in them to be able to connect to the Internet and thus collect data, exchange data, make decisions, and/or be controlled remotely.
Mobile technology is still a big component of this ecosystem with 5G (the fifth generation in the family of the mobile technologies) being developed to provide the network capacity required to facilitate the movement of the associated volumes of data instantaneously.
4IR is a typical disruptive technology, creating major changes to traditional business and operational models. 4IR provides developing economies like Uganda an opportunity to leapfrog by achieving faster growth rates and attaining higher levels of prosperity in a shorter span of time. According to the African Development Bank, the greatest risk to developing countries is missing the opportunity presented by this technological revolution.
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