As billions of people are following social distancing measures worldwide, the only source of interaction that remains is telecommunication.
There has been a sharp rise in digital tools since the lockdown has been imposed. These include video-conferencing, cloud computing, online payments, etc.
Apart from day-to-day activities, streaming has also increased as per Television Business International. To ease the pressure on broadband service in Europe, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Netflix have agreed to reduce picture quality.
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Now, the focus is on the fair use of the network, critical services, and applications across the globe. Some of the important uses of telecommunication (during quarantine) have been highlighted below.
Healthcare Sector
Telehealth and telemedicine are changing healthcare experiences worldwide. It is expected that 91% of the companies will offer telemedicine by the end of 2021. And it is playing a pivotal role given this tough situation we are in. Since the Coronavirus is highly contagious; it is wise to seek medical help sitting at home. You can access healthcare services remotely through mobile devices or computers.
You have to state your issues, and the AI-backed applications will go through your past medical records. Based on the symptoms, and the records, they will provide an accurate diagnosis. Only if the cases are severe, it will be redirected to the specialists. These types of applications have eased the workload of the doctors, as they have to tend to COVID-19 patients.
Corporate Firms
The corporate sector has effectively gone remote in the wake of the Coronavirus mayhem. Apple, Amazon, Google, Twitter, Facebook, and many more establishments have asked employees to work from home. Around 74% of the people are at home and are relying on telecommunication solutions for their daily work.
They are using collaborative cloud platforms, project management, and customer relationship management software to complete their tasks.
In order to do this, they need an uninterrupted Internet connection. While some are employing Wi-Fi connections, others are resorting to emerging technologies like the 5G. Hence, they are getting high speed, low latency surfing experience.
Moreover, they are able to hold meetings on Cisco Webex, Skype, Google Meet, etc. The employees are also using TeamViewer or Microsoft Teams for a one-stop solution to all requirements like file sharing, screen sharing, chatting, etc.
Education
With schools and universities closing their shutter, 1,215,881,292 learners are affected worldwide. But, thanks to dial-up, broadband, and Wi-Fi connections, students once again can continue education via e-learning.
Teachers are using Facebook education groups, Google Classrooms to share documents, assignments, and conduct sessions. The students are using Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp to share important messages with each other.
For online classes, the teachers are taking the help of video conferencing platforms like Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and Moodle. Moreover, they are also using email service to spread awareness of the COVID-19 scenario. If required, they are holding a teleconference with senior authorities
In addition to this, the students who had enrolled for courses prior to the pandemic are continuing the program via SAP Live Class.
Had Internet access not been there, students would not have been able to use academic tools like MLA citation generator.
E-Commerce
Since people are following quarantine measures worldwide, they are dependent on e-commerce platforms like eBay. Amazon, Walmart. Target has reported an increase in digital sales by 275%.
In fact, it is being predicted that 58% of online customers are expected to place more orders in the coming months. Since the lockdown has been imposed; people have started stockpiling essential commodities, food supply, medical supply, etc.
In most of the countries, volunteers and even robots have been deployed to deliver these goods to the people. As you can see, placing of order and shipment of items is possible only due to the proper connectivity. People are using their smartphones for ordering items and even for online payments. They are able to do so with the help of net banking and UPI platforms.
Government Functioning
Telecommunication is crucial for the overall economic growth of the countries. Government officials are using video conferencing, teleconferencing to discuss the next step for curbing the Coronavirus. Most importantly, they are dealing with economic problems and unemployment amid COVID-19. They are also making plans for a full-scale operational scheme once the lockdown is lifted, so as to recover the loss incurred.
In addition to this, the delegates are keeping in touch with the UN, WHO, World Bank, and UNESCO. Furthermore, if any breakthrough is achieved, it is being conveyed to the rest of the world through the news channel. Amidst all this, telecommunication media are being used to inform people regarding the circulation of fake news and phishing emails.
IBM Findings
If you are writing an assignment on ‘The Significance of Telecommunication amid COVID-19’, you will get valuable insight here. Upon completion, do not forget to cite the sources using the online MLA referencing generator. According to IBM research, telecom operators and the customer service providers have performed a commendable job. The latter has supported CSP clients across several fronts. They have:
- Assisted government agencies and healthcare facilities with high-speed connectivity and devices, especially in the UK.
- Provided information on population movement to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in the US, Asia.
- Enhanced network capacity by 30 to 50 percent to enable remote working.
- Supported customers who are unable to pay their bills and have opened up Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas.
- Implemented virtual and remote agent strategies to ensure customer care.
Now, steps are being taken to incorporate Deep Learning for the automation of tasks. Moreover, other AI-based applications are being encouraged to handle data, and augment call center agents.
The deployment of robust network architecture will deliver a new level of agility and performance.
As you can see, the telecommunication sector has been crucial amid the COVID-19 pandemic. And, it will continue to do so even when the lockdown is lifted.
Author Bio:
Robet Smith is a professional blogger and academic consultant. He has helped numerous clients over the past few years in academic projects. Currently, he is associated with MyAssignmenthelp.com. He is also aware of the different online MLA referencing tools.