There seems to be two major factors that are contributing to both the growth and changes in telecommunications. What are these two factors? Hands down it is technology and competition. With all the daily changes in technology and a more competitive market, we are starting to see profound growth in the telecommunications industry on a global scale.So what exactly contributes to this growth and change? Let us take a few minutes and break it down a little further for clarification purposes.The faster you can transmit data and the more data you can transmit at one time over the same bandwidth, the more efficient you are going to be. Furthermore, this is going to allow you to transmit a higher quality of data. Okay, most of us have heard of fiber optics, right? One great thing about optical fiber is that is has the capacity to transmit huge and I mean huge amounts of information or data digitally. Satellites also have the ability to both transfer huge amounts of data and transmit this data to remote areas without technicians having to lay or string wire of any kind.In addition, most, if not all telecommunication networks, are rapidly becoming completely digital, as I have already discussed, so that they can essentially send a lot of information in small streaming bits over a wired network. This too equals efficiency, quality, and frees up bandwidth for other services. These are huge and I mean huge technological advancements.No folks, I did not forget about the advancements in wireless technology. Wireless, everything is going wireless today. Every stop and think why? Over the past decade, there have been tremendous advancements in wireless technology. With such technologies as Personal Communication Services (PCS) and Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) Satellites, literally anyone anywhere will soon be able to get personal communications without having to rely on copper wire or fiber being strung. Are you saying that someone in a very remote area of the world will be able to get personal communications without a wired infrastructure? You bet that is what I am saying and it is currently happening as you read this!Ever hear the term multimedia? How could you not living in today’s day and age. But, do you really know what it means and how it has contributed to the growth of the telecommunications industry? The term multimedia simply means that various forms of media such as sound, video, graphics, and text are combined or integrated into one package or device. To better understand multimedia, think about commercials on TV and how the advertisers use sound, video, graphics, and text to deliver their message to you. Think about how your cell phone can connect to the internet, take pictures and record video, and also telephone your friends. This is multimedia at work, folks!Along side multimedia, you have the concept of multimodal or multimodal interaction. It is fair to say that this term is not as widely used as multimedia, but it is very important nonetheless. Multimodal interaction simply means that users have multiple modes or ways of interfacing with a system beyond just using a keyboard and mouse. The most common real world application of multimodal interaction is by combining something visual (a display screen) with some kind of voice recognition (speech recognition, recorded audio, etc.). This increases human computer usability. A great example of multimodal interaction is Microsoft’s new Sync that is currently in new Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury automobiles. Essentially Sync is an in-car communication and entertainment system that uses a fully-integrated voice activated system to control your mobile phone and digital music player.Given how multimedia and multimodal technology is rapidly changing, it is really not that hard to see why the telecommunications industry will continue to see huge growth in the years to come. To think that it will not is kind of like thinking that technological advances will just stop. We know that will not happen! Kind of makes you think that figuring out a way to make money in this industry would certainly help pad your pockets for a long time to come!