With the advent of computers and digital transmission of information, and the use of the telephone and radio transmitting telephone signals, it is difficult to find the difference between Panasonic telephony and telecommunications. The actual technological definition of telephony is the transmission of voice or fax over a distance. It is the use of any device that has a speaker and a receiver and transmits that voice or fax over a handheld device. In Internet telephony, we use a computer instead of the telephone. It is also a more cost effective way to communicate since the internet connection comes at the same price as a local call and saves in costly long distance charges.
Soon we will have the ability to use the internet to make telephone calls that will actually ring at the destination whether the person is there or not. This service will be offered at the price of a local call. We will have the ability to send voice messages in addition to text messages. We will also have the ability to send a fax at local telephone call charges through a designated point in some of the larger cities. One of the other services that is being worked on and will be offered is the ability to talk to a company as you are looking at their catalog on their website.
There is now a telephony board offered by Panasonic that you can add to your computer that has all of the functions of the modem, voicemail system, speaker, and sound board. The Panasonic telephony board can be found in new computers that will be used by small businesses and those with home offices. Both Microsoft and Intel allow windows applications to access voice services that connect to PC phone systems. Microsoft and Netscape are looking into the future to provide voice mail.
The definition of telecommunications is not much different from the definition of telephony. The definition of telecommunication is the transmission of signal for the purpose of communicating over a distance. This would include electronic communication by way of telephone, fax, radio, television, or computers, as opposed to the early days when communication over distances included smoke signals and semaphore flags. Companies such as Amazon.com have used telecommunication to build global empires. The average household uses telecommunication when ordering deliveries. The most indigent communities have advantageously used telecommunication.
Research tells us that there is a casual association between telecommunication and economical growth. Because of the benefits of good telecommunications it is in error to view this relationship as a casual one. The telephone companies did not advertise the social advantages of the telephone until sometime in the 1930’s. The impact of social relations through telecommunications has blossomed with the availability of computer social networks.
As we can see from both definitions of telephony and telecommunication, there is little to no difference. The dictionary definitions are the same but use different wording and in actuality, they are closer than just similar.