Telecommunications refers to a wide range of technologies that has the capability to send information across distances.  Video, voice, telephony technologies, television, radio and internet communications are examples of telecommunications. The telecommunications industry provides communication facilities and tools to individuals, households and businesses.  Traditional services offered by the telecommunications industry were the telegraph, wired telephone lines and cable television.  The modern services provided by these companies are cellular phones, satellite TV, mobile internet, broadband internet and others.

Companies belonging to the telecommunications industry are usually classified as wired, satellite, wireless and those falling under other types of telecommunications.  Wired telecom carriers continue to be the largest sector of the industry providing services like landline phones, digital subscriber line internet or DSL, internet services and cable TV. These organizations may own networks and maintain them, route TV, internet, voice, data and control access to various content.  They may also share networks or lease network capacity from other organizations.  Direct-to home distributors of satellite television and other related businesses also falls under the wired telecommunications category.

Carriers of wireless telecommunications provide phone services, data, internet and various services through signal transmission over a network of radio towers.  Customers receive the signal transmission directly through an antenna for their computers and mobile phones.  The devices receive information, interpret them and send the information through the networks.  Companies engaged in providing cellular phone services comprise a large segment of this industry.  Companies delivering internet services to people with computers and internet-enabled mobile phones is another large segment of the wireless communications industry.

Satellite telecommunications means transmitting a wide range of data using satellites which include earth photos, messages regarding public safety and other information.  Establishments that are involved with this type of telecommunications are mostly government entities and private organizations.  It was in 1969 when telecommunications went beyond the earth with the astronauts landing on the moon.  In 1989, the Voyager 2 spacecraft transmitted radio waves travelling more than 3 billion miles to reach earth in a few hours.

The other sectors that belong to the industry of telecommunications are the resellers and the operators of radar stations and radio networks used by the transport industry like taxicabs and truckers.

The world is changing fast, and the developments in the telecommunications sector play a very important role in this change.  People in far-flung areas are now able to communicate, see and hear what is happening in other parts of the globe in real time.  Telephony, the internet, television and satellite technology keep people connected and interacting with each other; downloading photos, listening to music and talking to family and friends in real time using the internet.