Global Information Infrastructure (GII) can be defined as a seamless web of interactive communications being deployed at a world-wide level to provide the infrastructure for new services and activities based on the strategic use of all types information.
Global Information Infrastructure refers to; the proposed worldwide infrastructure of governmental and non-governmental telecommunications and information technology networks. Its objective is faster and greater economic growth dissemination of information and remote collaboration.
GII is an infrastructure that is capable of supporting the development or the implementation and interoperability of information services and application the currently exist or may do so in the future, through information technology, telecommunications, consumer electronics, and also the content provisions industries.
A GII consists of a technical framework of computing and communications technologies, information content, services, and people, all of which interact in complex and often unpredictable ways. No single entity owns, manages, or controls the technical framework of a GII although many governments, vast numbers of public and private organizations, a and millions of people contribute to it and use it.
It encompasses a wide range of equipment , including cameras, scanners, keyboards, computers, switches, compact disks, video and audio tape, cable, wire, satellites, fibre-optic transmission lines, networks of all types , television, monitors, printers, etc The friendly and adversary personnel who make decisions and handles the transmitted information constitute a critical component of the global information infrastructure.
GII is a worldwide collection of connected systems that integrates the following components:
- Communications networks, which would include fixed telephone networks and cellular, cable and satellite networks.
- Equipment used for the provision of information which will include the computers, televisions, radios, and telephones.
- Information resources such as educational, medical entertainment and commercial programs & databases.
- Applications, such as those used for telemedicine, electronic commerce, and digital libraries.
- People
According to U.S. National Institute of Science and Technology(NIST), “GII is a vehicle for expanding the scope of benefits such as advances in information and telecommunications technologies on a global scale. By interconnecting local, national, regional and global networks, the GII can increase economic growth, create jobs and improve infrastructures.
GII has four basic elements:
- People
- Information Appliances
- Communications Infrastructure
- Information
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People
This element refers to the people who create, produce, use and operating information. This element includes personnel who make decisions on the basis of information and handle the transmitted information. This is a significant component of GII.
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Information Appliances
Information appliances that are used to store, process and allow access to information. For example, Smartphones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants, also known as handheld PCs) etc.
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Communications Infrastructure
Communication infrastructure refers to the technology products and network connections the allow for the transmission of communications over large distances. It transports the information between geographically separated information appliances.
4.Information
Information which is in the form of video, audio, text, and graphics and which may be converted from an existing medium into electronic form for use by the users of global information infrastructure.
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