Electronic Communication Software

• FIELDS OF STUDY: Information Systems; Information Technology

ABSTRACT

Electronic communication software is used to transfer information via the Internet or other transmission-and-reception technology. As technology has evolved, electronic communication software has taken on many new forms, from text-based instant messaging using computers to SMS messages sent between cell phones on opposite sides of the world. Electronic communication software allows people to communicate in real time using audio and video and to exchange digital files containing text, photos, and other data.

Asynchronous Communication

Many types of electronic communication software are asynchronous. This means that the message sender and the recipient communicate with one another at different times. The classic example of this type of electronic communication software is email. Email is asynchronous because when a person sends a message, it travels first to the server and then to the recipient. The server may use push technology to notify the recipient that a message is waiting. It is then up to the recipient to decide when to retrieve the message from the server and read it.

Email evolved from an earlier form of asynchronous electronic communication: the bulletin board system. In the 1980s and earlier, before the Internet was widely available to users in their homes, most people went online using a dial-up modem. A dial-up modem is a device that allows a computer to connect to another computer through a telephone line. To connect, the first computer dials the phone number assigned to the other computer's phone line. Connecting this way is slow and cumbersome compared to the broadband Internet access common today, though dial-up Internet access is still common in some rural areas. This is partly because phone lines can only be used for one purpose at a time, so a user can not receive phone calls online. Because users tended to be online only in short bursts in the late 1990s and early 2000s, they would leave messages for each other on online bulletin board systems (BBSs). Like email, the message would stay on the BBS until its recipient logged on and saw it was waiting.

Another popular method of asynchronous communication is text messaging. Text messaging allows short messages to be sent from one mobile phone to another. The communications protocol technology behind text messages is called Short Message Service (SMS). SMS messages are limited to 160 characters. They are widely used because they can be sent and received using any kind of cell phone.

Synchronous Communication

Other forms of electronic communication software allow for synchronous communication. This means that the recipient and the sender interact through a communication medium simultaneously. The most familiar examples of synchronous communication are telephone and cell phone communications. Using analog protocols (traditional phone lines) or voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), users speak into a device. Their speech is translated into electronic signals by the device's communication software and then transmitted to the recipient. There are sometimes minor delays due to network latency. However, most of the conversations happen in the same way they would if the parties were face-to-face.

Another form of electronic synchronous communication is instant messaging or live chat support. Instant messaging occurs when multiple users use computers or mobile devices to type messages to one another. Each time a user sends a message, the recipient or recipients see it pop up on their screens. Chat can occur between two users, or it can be a multicast in which one person types a message and multiple others receive it. Video conferencing is a type of synchronous communication that gained significant popularity in the early 2020s. This technology allowed employees to work from home and still have meetings with audio and visual contact during the work day from anywhere in the world.

Multicast can also be delivered asynchronously. An example of this type of electronic communication is a performer who records a video of themselves using a digital camera and then posts it on an online platform like YouTube. The video stays online, available for others to watch anytime until its creator takes it down. This type of electronic communication is extremely popular because viewers do not have to be online at a particular time to view the performance, as was the case with television broadcasts in the past.

Privacy Concerns

The rapid growth of electronic communication software caught regulators off guard in some respects. While there were protections in place to prevent the government from eavesdropping on private communications using the telephone, similar protections for electronic communications were lacking until the passage of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) in the late 1980s. This act extended many traditional communication protections to VoIP calls, emails, SMS messages, chat and instant messaging logs, and other types of communications. For example, it made it illegal to intercept or access electronic communications without the consent of at least one party involved. Later, lawmakers enacted several other pieces of legislation to protect Americans online, including the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) of 1986, and The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998.

Cutting Edge

Modern electronic communication software pushes the boundaries of what is possible. One example in the early twenty-first century was video calling using cell phones, which quickly became available on most devices. However, its utility is limited by the bandwidth available in some locations, which can cause poor video quality and noticeable delays in user responses. AI-powered messaging on platforms like ChatGPT in WhatsApp, Slack, and Microsoft Teams rose in popularity in the 2020s. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for professional software and remote collaboration tools that allowed real-time video and audio communication increased significantly, resulting in a steep increase in the development and use of platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack.

As twenty-first-century technology evolved, decentralized messaging platforms offering secure communication using blockchain or peer-to-peer networks, such as Matrix, SimpleX, and DeltaChat, became popular with many businesses. These changes implemented during the pandemic became common practice with many organizations, as they continued using this software after the pandemic’s peak. Additionally, employees began utilizing AI-driven virtual assistants, implementing augmented reality (AR) communication, and using automated tools in their workday, like automatic meeting summaries.

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