Information and communications technology

Information and communications technology (ICT) is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT). It is a more extensive term (i.e. more broad in scope) that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

The term ICT is also used to refer to the convergence of audio-visual and telephone networks with computer networks through a single cabling or link system. There are large economic incentives (huge cost savings due to elimination of the telephone network) to merge the telephone network with the computer network system using a single unified system of cabling, signal distribution and management.

However, ICT has no universal definition, as "the concepts, methods and applications involved in ICT are constantly evolving on an almost daily basis." The broadness of ICT covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form, e.g. personal computers, digital television, email, robots. For clarity, Zuppo provided an ICT hierarchy where the all levels of the hierarchy "contain some degree of commonality in that they are related to technologies that facilitate the transfer of information and various types of electronically mediated communications.".

ICTS

ICTS may refer to:

ICTS (Scarborough line car)

The Intermediate Capacity Transit System (ICTS) Mark I cars are the Scarborough RT (Line 3) rolling stock. They were built from 1983–1986 for the Toronto Transit Commission.

The cars were built by the Urban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC) in Millhaven, Ontario. The RT operated first with two-car units, and then as four-car units. A test run began in 1984 and full service began in 1985.

The fleet numbers of the cars used are 3000–3027.

Very similar models with similar interior and exterior looks are found on the Vancouver SkyTrain and the Detroit People Mover. These systems have their UTDC ICTS Mark I trains run automatically with computer systems controlling them. TTC ICTS cars have an operator cab in each car which is occupied when the car is the lead car on a run.

Following the retirement of the remaining H5 and H6 trains in 2013 and 2014, respectively, the ICTS cars are the oldest TTC trains in the system. They feature level boarding, unlike the TTC's 20th Century streetcars. Since their refurbishment in 2015, all redesigned ICTS cars are now equipped with designated seats in areas accessible for people using mobility devices, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities.