Man is a social animal, which means that it needs other people for its survival. Back in the day humanity lived as a closely-knit family but, as the human population increased and people started to travel to other places of the world, this family was broken. Although the distances were there, and traveling to other places to meet friends and relatives was a daunting task, still there was a need to remain connected with one another. And as need is the mother of invention, out of this need the communication mediums were invented.
The earliest means of communication were handwritten letters which were written on leaves, branches of a tree, or even animal hide, and these letters were carried to far lands on horsebacks or through barefoot travelers. This was a brief summary of how communication mediums were invented and their early form.
As humanity progressed, we found modern ways of data transmission through electrical signals. This paved the way for digital communication, in which data was transferred through electrical signals instead of physical mediums like messengers. The earliest form of these communication devices was the telegram, which then transformed into telephones after Alexander Graham Bell invented this marvelous piece of technology back in 1876.
Telephones were such a huge success, that it is almost impossible to believe that they still exist to this date, although in a modern form. The current home phones mostly work on a technology called VoIP which we are going to discuss later in this piece. However, if you are interested in residential VoIP services and their pricing, visit this site to learn more.
Importance of Communication in Today’s World
Communication mediums have come a long way, and the most modern form of them can be seen in the shape of the internet. The Internet has become the universal communication medium and is now considered by many as an essential service. This is only because our lives are dependent on the internet. Plus, ever since the pandemic happened the importance of digital communication, especially the internet has increased drastically.
Because of the lockdowns enforced in the wake of the quarantine protocols set by different countries, most people are stuck in their houses. In times like these, digital communication mediums are the only thing that is keeping people connected. No matter the distance, these mediums are our eyes and ears in the outside world.
Most of these communication mediums like social media, VoIP services, email, and chat platforms work over the internet. That is why we mentioned before that internet has become the most sought service today. Because not only our communication infrastructure, but many other things including corporate workings, businesses, and even the education sector now depend on the internet.
Another important thing to witness here is that people are financially unstable today. So, as a result, it is quite difficult for them to afford heavy bills of mobile and cell phone services. That is why we have written this article regarding economical means of communication which can allow people to remain connected with their loved ones without costing too much.
Economical Means of Communication
All of these mediums included in this piece are internet-based, as they are most economical and usually require just an internet connection to work. With only the use of the internet, these services work free of cost (with exception of a few).
Social Media
Social Media is the major source of news and communication for the millennials, this is because youngsters spend most of their time on these types of platforms. Over the years social media has become a powerful tool of immense influence. It has given the power to the words of a common man, and through these platforms, like Facebook and Twitter (two biggest social media platforms) anyone can get their word across, for the whole world to listen.
Not only this, people can do private conversations or can even make a group of friends or family, to talk to. Most social media platforms now allow video and voice calling as well, and the best thing about social media is that it’s absolutely free and users only need to have an internet connection in order to use it.
VoIP Services
We talked about VoIP earlier in this piece, now let’s get into the details of it. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is a technology that converts voice signals so that they can be transported over the internet. All major apps that allow internet calls are based on VoIP, like Skype and WhatsApp. Apart from that, there are dedicated VoIP services as well that allow users to make unlimited calls for a fixed monthly price.
There are many home phone service providers that are based on VoIP technology, and they allow users to make unlimited local and long-distance calling at an affordable fixed monthly charge. Plus with the inclusion of the internet, these home phones have mobile phones like capabilities but at a much lower price.
Email Services
This is probably the oldest technology on this list and the first communication medium which was based on the internet. The popularity of emails can be seen in this regard that they are still in use today, although mostly for business purposes.
Emails are a secure way of sending your text messages to other users over the internet through email accounts. These email accounts can be easily made and are mostly free. Now modern email services allow users to send pictures and videos, as well as any important document as attachments. Although mostly used for business purposes and having a slow reply rate, emails are still very much in use and are the first choice for any important or work-related update and message.
Final Thoughts
Communication is the key to human survival, nobody in this world can live alone we need to remain in constant touch with our loved ones for a healthy mental state. Plus, ever since the pandemic the need to remain in contact has drastically increased, and so is the importance of these mediums of communication. That is why we have created this list to enlighten our readers about the most efficient and cost-effective communication mediums of today that they can easily use to remain in contact with their friends or family.