Information technology can be defined in various ways but is broadly considered to encompass the use of computers and telecommunication to store, retrieve and manipulate data.

Information and communications technology or information and communication technology (ICT), is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is a more specific term that stresses the role of unified communications, and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middle ware  storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones.