This term refers to any transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writings, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems.

Telecommunication is the assisted transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication.

A telecommunication system consists of three basic elements:

a transmitter that takes information and converts it to a signal;

a transmission medium that carries the signal; and,

a receiver that receives the signal and converts it back into usable information.

Teleconferencing

Videoconferencing

Web-conferencing

Teleconferencing is interactive group communication (three or more people in two or more locations) through an electronic medium.

In general terms, teleconferencing can bring people together under one roof even though they're separated by hundreds of miles.

Teleconferencing is the most common type of distance meeting in which participants can communicate by phone from different locations.

In many cases, speaker telephones are used for conference calls among the participants. A two-way radio system can also be used. In some remote areas, satellite enhancement of connections is desirable.

Anyone can participate. Teleconferencing broadens participation with its wide geographical coverage.

Participants gather at two or more locations and communicate via phone.

Participants should know what to expect during the session.

A trained facilitator, moderator, or group leader runs the meeting .

Each individual meeting site must have a person in charge to prevent the conversation from becoming chaotic.

One person should be in charge of setting up a teleconference.

Equipment for a telephone conference is minimal.

Adequate preparation is critical to success and optimum effectiveness of a teleconference.

It is important to provide materials in advance. These include plans of alternatives, reports, evaluation matrices, cross-sections, or other visuals.

The technical set-up is crucial. Teleconferencing equipment and its several locations are key to the event’s success.

Equipment must be distributed well.

The moderator sets ground rules for orderly presentation of ideas.

The meeting must follow the agenda

Teleconferencing is effective when participants have difficulty attending a meeting.

Teleconferencing is effective when it focuses on specific action items that deserve comment.

Teleconferencing helps give all participants an equal footing in planning and project development.

Saves time and money.

Inclusion of more employees.

A broader range of ideas and points of view.

Socializing is minimal compared to an FTF meeting.

Some routine meetings are more effective

Communication between the home office and field staffs is maximized.

Participants are generally better

prepared than for FTF meetings.

It's particularly satisfactory for simple problem solving, information exchange, and procedural tasks.

Group members participate more equally in well moderated teleconferences than in an FTF meeting.

It lacks visual interactivity.

Technical failures with equipment.

Unsatisfactory for complex interpersonal communication, such as negotiation or bargaining.

Impersonal, less easy to create an atmosphere of group rapport.

Acoustical problems within the teleconferencing rooms.

Difficulty in determining participant speaking order; frequently one person monopolizes the meeting.

Greater participant preparation and preparation time needed.

Informal, one-to-one, social

interaction not possible.

A large number of people is difficult to manage in a single teleconference.

Costs can be high.

Videoconferencing combines both visual and verbal communication so conference participants can see and hear each other at the same time by using a video monitor.

A videoconference is an interactive meeting between two or more people using video linkups at two or more sites.

Video conferencing can transmit pictures as well as voices through video cameras and computer modems. Video conferencing technology is developing rapidly, capitalizing on the increasingly powerful capabilities of computers and telecommunications networks.

Video conferencing needs are more complex. Basic equipment can involve:

personal computers;

a main computer control system;

one or more dedicated telephone lines or a satellite hook-up

a television or computer monitor for each participant or group of participants; and

a video camera for each participant or group of participants.

More sophisticated facilities and equipment are required if a number of locations are inter connected

It saves time and money.

It comes closest to face to face interaction.

It can be costly.

It requires installation and technical user skills.

Coordination of participants can sometimes present difficulties.

Plan ahead.

Involve all participants freely during the call.

Speak normally.

Be prepared.

Position persons near the telephone.

In a videoconference, when you want to speak introduce yourself; then wait on the camera to focus on you before you begin speaking.

Prepare any graphics with video in mind.

Avoid sudden movements.

This is the use of compact cameras and microphones attached to personal or laptop computers to send and receive audio and video messages transmitted over the internet.

Web conferencing is used to conduct live meetings or presentations over the Internet.

In a web conference, each participant sits at his or her own computer, and is connected to other participants via the internet.

This can be either a downloaded application on each of the attendees computers or a web-based application where the attendees will simply enter a "URL" or website meeting address to enter the live meeting or conference.

A webinar is a type of web conference, that tends to be mostly one-way, from the speaker to the audience with limited audience interaction, such as in a Webcast, which is transmission of information in one direction only, like watching a concert on the internet.

A webinar however, can be very collaborative, and include polling and question & answer sessions to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter. A webinar is 'live' in the sense that information is conveyed according to an agenda, with a starting and ending time.

Slide presentations (often created through PowerPoint.

Live video (via webcam or digital camera).

Real time audio communication through headphones or speakers.

Recording.

White board with annotation.

Text chat (for live question and answer sessions).

Screen sharing/ desktop sharing/ application sharing.

Web conferences are less expensive than videoconferences to set up.

It does not require skilled technicians to operate the equipment.

As computers become faster and transmission paths increase, Web conferencing is expected to increase.

There maybe time delays in both visual and audio transmission so participants may have to wait several seconds after someone has spoken to receive visual and audio transmissions.