ABSTRACT

Modern information communication technology has brought enormous changes in almost

all spheres of human activities. Most traditional communication media in offices, such as
telephone and television services, are reshaped or redefined using the technologies of the
Internet. This seminar paper discussed on the applicability of the GSM, Internet (Modern
Communication tools) in facilitating office communication systems, in such a way that
modern offices would be equipped to cope with the global changes.

INTRODUCTION
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 Nowadays modern information communication systems have pervasively replaced

old information communication systems. Information is one of the top most priorities of

any organisation for effective management.

The world is moving beyond boxy computers that sit on desk or even on laps. We

are entering a time in which handled computers, two-way wireless papers, and beefed-up

cell phones (not to mention terminals everywhere – libraries, airports, cafes) will let you

access information anytime anywhere. And not only general information but your personal

information – the electronic correspondence, documents, appointments, photos, songs,

money matters, and other data important to you.

With the presence of GSM, Internet and Modern Office Communication Systems, it

allows us to store information on air to give adequate space in the office and maintain safety

of documents from damage through the use of mobile phones, computer, and electronic

databases, increasing our dependence on technology

The GSM, Internet and WWW Services and Office Communication Systems are

trends that pose unique challenges to how you learn and manage information and

“multitasking” activity. In order to appreciate this paper, the following would be discussed:

The concept of GSM, and its History, Internet and its group together with its pros and cons,

as well as how these facilities helps in sending and receiving of information in the offices

THE CONCEPT OF GSM

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 GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communication, is a cellular phone

protocol that is popular in many parts of the world, it is use for sending and receiving

information. (Black: 2010).

GSM is a cellular network, which means that mobile phones connect to it by

searching for cells in the immediate vicinity. (GSM Association 2007)

Brief History of GSM

In 1982, the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications

Administrations (CEPT) created the Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM) to develop a standard

for a mobile telephone system that could be used across Europe. In 1987, a memorandum

of understanding was signed by 13 countries to develop a common cellular telephone

system across Europe. Finally the system created by SINTEF led by Torleiv Maseng was

selected.

In 1989, GSM responsibility was transferred to the European Telecommunications

Standards Institute (ETSI) and phase I of the GSM specifications were published in 1990.

The first GSM network was launched in 1991 by Radiolinja in Finland with joint technical

infrastructure maintenance from Ericsson. By the end of 1993, over a million subscribers

were using GSM phone networks being operated by 70 carriers across 48 countries.

THE INTERNET, NET

The Internet is the basis of hardware, software and data and the connections that

joins it all together. (Bridge: 1993)

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 It consists of millions of computers of all shapes and sizes – in tens of thousands of

computer networks, throughout the world. They are joined through a mixture of special

high – speed cables, memories links and ordinary public and private telephone lines.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the

standard Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of users worldwide. It is

a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and

government networks of local to global scope that are linked by a broad array of electronic

and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries a vast array

of information resources and services, most notably the inter-linked hypertext documents of

the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail.

(Vienna: 2004)

Most traditional communications media, such as telephone and television services,

are reshaped or redefined using the technologies of the Internet, giving rise to services such

as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and IPTV. Newspaper publishing has been reshaped

into Web sites, blogging, and web feeds. The Internet has enabled or accelerated the

creation of new forms of human interactions through instant messaging, Internet forums,

and social networking sites.

The Internet is allowing greater flexibility in working hours and location, especially

with the spread of unmetered high-speed connections and web applications. The Internet

can now be accessed almost anywhere by numerous means, especially through mobile

Internet devices. (Vienna: 2004)

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WWW, WEB, W3 SERVICES

The World Wide Web, abbreviated as WWW and commonly known as The Web,

is a system of interlinked hypertext documents contained on the Internet. With a web

browser, one can view web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and

other multimedia and navigate between them by using hyperlinks. (Brugger: 2010)

World Wide Web or just the Web interchangeably, is a global set of documents,

images and other resources, logically interrelated by hyperlinks and referenced with

Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) URIs allow providers to symbolically identify

services, and other databases that store documents and provide resources and access them

using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), the primary carrier protocol of the web.

Web services may also use HTTP to allow software systems to communicate in order to

share and exchange business logic and data.

World Wide Web browser software such as Internet, Firefox, Opera, Apple Safari

and Google Chrome, allow users navigate from one page to another via hyperlinks

embedded in the documents. These documents may also contain any combination of

computer data, including graphics, sounds, text, video, multimedia and interactive content

including games, office applications and scientific demonstrations, through keyword –

driven internet research using search engines like Yahoo! And Google, users world wide

have easy, instant access to a vast and diverse amount of online information compared to

printed encyclopaedias and traditional libraries, the World Wide Web has enabled the

decentralisation of information.
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 The Web has also enabled individuals and organisations to public ideas and

information to potentially large audience online at greatly reduced expense and time delay.

Distinction between Net and Web

Many people use the terms Internet and World Wide Web (aka. the Web)

interchangeably, but in fact the two terms are not synonymous. The Internet and the Web

are two separate but related things.

The Internet is a massive network of networks, a networking infrastructure. It

connects millions of computers together globally, forming a network in which any

computer can communicate with any other computer as long as they are both connected to

the Internet. Whereas The World Wide Web, or simply Web, is a way of accessing

information over the medium of the Internet. It is an information-sharing model that is built

on top of the Internet. The Web uses the HTTP protocol, only one of the languages spoken

over the Internet, to transmit data. Web services, which use HTTP to allow applications to

communicate in order to exchange business logic, use the the Web to share information.

Uses of the Net to Office Communication

1. Electronic Mail (e-mail):

E-mail- Electronic mail may be less glamorous than the web, but it is arguably more

useful. It allows you to communicate and exchange files quickly and cheaply with other

internet users.

2. Newsgroup and Mailing Lists:

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 They are combination of bulletin boards and newsletters, with each dedicated to a

specific interest, topic, hobby, profession or obsession, plus a smaller set of mailing lists.

* A mailing list is a direct extension of e-mail messages, the lists are sent individually

to the list’s subscribers and subscription is normally free and open to all.

* Newspapers are more centralised, the messages – here called articles are initially sent

to the computer that hosts the group news servers collect new articles from the

groups several times a day and hold them in store. If you want to read the news you

connect to your news servers download articles from there.

3. File Transfer Protocol (FTP):

File Transfer Protocol is the standard method for copying files across the net. File

Transfer protocol hosts computer hold archives open to anyone to search and download

files from. McBride, (1993)

Advantages of Internet

Internet has been perhaps the most outstanding innovation in the field of

communication in the history of mankind. As with every single innovation, internet has its

own advantages and disadvantages. But usually, greater magnitude of advantages outweighs

its disadvantages. The advantages are:

Communication

The foremost target of internet has always been the communication. And internet has

excelled beyond the expectations. Still; innovations are going on to make it faster and more

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reliable. By the advent of computer’s Internet, our earth has reduced and has attained the

form of a global village.

Now we can communicate in a fraction of second with a person who is sitting in the

other part of the world. Today for better communication, we can avail the facilities of e-

mail; we can chat for hours with our loved ones. There are plenty messenger services in

offering. With help of such services, it has become very easy to establish a kind of global

friendship where you can share your thoughts, can explore other cultures of different

ethnicity.

Information

Information is probably the biggest advantage internet is offering. The Internet is a

virtual treasure trove of information. Any kind of information on any topic under the sun is

available on the Internet. The search engines like Google, yahoo is at your service on the

Internet. You can almost find any type of data on almost any kind of subject that you are

looking for. There is a huge amount of information available on the internet for just about

every subject known to man, ranging from government law and services, trade fairs and

conferences, market information, new ideas and technical support, the list is endless.

Entertainment

Entertainment is another popular raison d'être why many people prefer to surf the

Internet. In fact, media of internet has become quite successful in trapping multifaceted

entertainment factor. Downloading games, visiting chat rooms or just surfing the Web are

some of the uses people have discovered. There are numerous games that may be

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downloaded from the Internet for free. The industry of online gaming has tested dramatic

and phenomenal attention by game lovers. Chat rooms are popular because users can meet

new and interesting people. In fact, the Internet has been successfully used by people to find

life long partners. When people surf the Web, there are numerous things that can be found.

Music, hobbies, news and more can be found and shared on the Internet.

Services

Many services are now provided on the internet such as online banking, job seeking,

purchasing tickets for your favorite movies, guidance services on array of topics engulfing

the every aspect of life, and hotel reservations.

E-Commerce

Ecommerce is the concept used for any type of commercial maneuvering, or business

deals that involves the transfer of information across the globe via Internet. It has become a

phenomenon associated with any kind of shopping, almost anything. You name it and

Ecommerce with its giant tentacles engulfing every single product and service will make

you available at your door steps. It has got a real amazing and wide range of products from

household needs, technology to entertainment.

Disadvantages of the Internet

Theft of Personal Information:

If you use the Internet, you may be facing grave danger as your personal information

such as name, address, credit card number etc. can be accessed by other culprits to make

your problems worse.

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Spamming:

Spamming refers to sending unwanted e-mails in bulk, which provide no purpose and

needlessly obstruct the entire system. Such illegal activities can be very frustrating for you,

and so instead of just ignoring it, you should make an effort to try and stop these activities

so that using the Internet can become that much safer.

Virus threat

Virus is nothing but a program which disrupts the normal functioning of your

computer systems. Computers attached to internet are more prone to virus attacks and they

can end up into crashing your whole hard disk, causing you considerable headache.

Pornography:

This is perhaps the biggest threat related to your children’s healthy mental life. A

very serious issue concerning the Internet. There are thousands of pornographic sites on the

Internet that can be easily found and can be a detrimental factor to letting children use the

Internet.

Though, internet can also create havoc, destruction and its misuse can be very fatal,

the advantages of it outweigh its disadvantages.

THE OFFICE

The office is an information centre. It is a room or building where business

transactions of an organisation are carried out

Office is an organisation’s information, communication. It is also described as a

place set aside for work of a clerical nature. (Omilegan: 2002).

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COMMUNICATION

Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is

channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then

decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. (Chandler: 1994).

Communication is commonly defined as "the imparting or interchange of thoughts,

opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs". Although there is such a thing as

one-way communication, communication can be perceived better as a two-way process in

which there is an exchange and progression of thoughts, feelings or ideas (energy) towards

a mutually accepted goal or direction (information).

SYSTEM

System can be defined as an organised set of ideas or theories or a particular way of

doing something. (Hornby: 2000).

The Office Communication systems in this parlance, is concerned with the ways,

media by which organisation sends and receives information.

Communication technology provides ways of exchanging information almost

instantaneously over potentially vast distance. Voice or data signals may be sent

electronically over copper wires, optically over glass fibres, or as electromagnetic radiation

(e.g. radio signals) through space. Office communication devices and capabilities may be

linked via these communication media to form integrated sets of service that comprise

networks.

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 A network is a way of sharing resources among and delivering service to distributed

stations, or node. Nodes in turn, are connecting points for individual users. In the business

world, networks are as basic and functional for the flow of information. The following are

the media by organisation sends and receives information:

1. Electronic mail (E-mail)

The electronic mail is used for correspondence from a single sender to one or more

recipients. For example, one executive may send a memo as a text file explicitly to a

manager within the same organisation. Or, the executive might indicate by codes and

addresses contained within the file, that copies are to be sent to all managers in a given sales

region.

2. Bulletin boards
An alternative form of electronic message forwarding is the bulletin board. By

contrast with electronic mail application, bulletin boards implement shared messages

among groups of people. A bulletin board is, in effect a single mass storage area that

represents a mailbox common to a group of users. Any use within the group can access the

bulletin board and either read the messages stored there or add another message. Such

electronic bulletin boards have been used successfully within computer and instruction

(CAI) systems.

The operation of bulletin board within office networks requires that one user

designated as administrator of each bulletin board, or storage area. The administrator is

called a system operator, or sysop. The sysop has responsibility of security of access,

qualification of users and timely purging of outdated messages and files.

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3. Teleconferencing

Teleconferencing is a concurrent audio link among multiple telephone stations.

Typically, a teleconference takes the form of a telephone conversation among several

people at different remote locations.

The linking of multiple telephone lines for this purpose is called conference bridging.

A manager might initiate a call place it on hold, and initiate another call, their by pressing a

button or by dialling a control code, the manager may establish a bridge between the two

lines so that all three parties can share the call.

Lines may be added to or dropped from the bridge at will. In addition, call access

may be controlled or lines muted selectively to allow privacy or security of portions of the

discussion.

4. Videoconferencing

Videoconferencing is electronic conferencing with the addition of television pictures.

Due to the need for relatively expensive, special-purpose equipment, videoconferencing

usually takes place among locations with dedicated facilities.

Conference rooms are designed and equipped expressly for videoconferencing.

Usually, multiple video cameras and special microphones are integrated into the room.

Room designs include good lighting quality and seating arrangements to match camera

angles. A control panel is provided for a meeting manager at each location. The meeting

manager controls camera movement and focus. In some systems, automated camera control

is triggered when a voice input is sensed at a specific microphone location.

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 Multiple viewing screens, or video monitors and audio speakers are positioned so

that conference attendees can see and hear attendees at the other locations.

Videoconferences among multiple sites also require a central meeting manager to control

which conference groups are being displayed on the monitors at each location

CONCLUSION

Modern Information Communication Systems have drastically brought about

changes to any sound organisation; the office information may be sent and received in every

nook and cranny throughout the world at very speed rate, essentially with instant feedback

by the use of net.

With the use/presence of modern information communication systems such as

computer, GSM, printer etc. have facilitated the day to day clerical work of an office and

reduced the cost and minimize the possibility of accidents and crimes of organisation

activities.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations were made from the above discussion:

1. Management of organisation should provide adequate modern office facilities such as

wireless computers, network, a centralised printer, scanning machines etc for related

office clerical work.

2. The organisation should provide conducive working environment to prevent such

facilities stated above from damage and to work very effectively.

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3. Technicians should be employed for proper handling/servicing of the machines for

efficiency and increased productivity of an organisation.

4. The organisation should employed computer literates and retrain existing workers for

accurate and better integrity of office work.

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Alexandra, W. J., Medley D. B. and Smith A. N. (1986): Advanced Office Systems

Bride, Mc. P. K. (1993): Internet Made Simple Second Edition

Brugger, N. (2010): ed. Web History 362 pages; Historical perspective on the World Wide
Web, Webincluding issues of culture, content, and preservation.

Chandler, D. (1994). "The Transmission Model of Communication”

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/short/trans.html

GSM Association (2007-09-06). "Global Mobile Communications is 20 years old". Press

release. http://www.gsmworld.com/news/press_2007/press07_48.shtml. Retrieved
2007-09-07

Hornby, A. S. (2000): Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English

(special price Sixth Edition). London: Oxford University Press

Omilegan, G. F. (2002) Office Administration and Management for Nigeria Students, First
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Vienna, (2004) Media Freedom Internet Cookbook by the OSCE Representative on

Freedom of the Media

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