Carl Turnley on History of Telecom

Telecom, or Telecommunication, is the use of signals, words, writing, or other vehicles to transmit any form of information. In the modern world, this information is often transmitted through optical or audial means such as radio and television.

The earliest known form of telecommunication used smoke signals and drums. A system known as talking drums was used in parts of ancient Africa. This system employed different beats to communicate simple messages over long distances. Smoke signals were a common form of communication in both ancient China and North America.

The use of electricity in telecommunication can be dated to the 1720s. It was during this time the experimentation began with crude telegraphs. It wasn’t until 1816 that the first functioning telegraph, which operated using static electricity, was created.

The telegraph was followed by the telephone, which debuted in the 1870s. Commercial use of the telephone commenced in 1879 when Alexander Graham Bell installed telephone systems in New Haven and London. The impending widespread use of the telephone essential made the telegraph obsolete overnight.

Another form of telecommunication, radio, also had its start in the late 1800s. After the discovery of radio waves, scientist began working on ways to harness them. In 1901, the first wireless telegraphy system was established between the locations of Newfoundland and England. A few decades later, in 1925, a Japanese scientist demonstrated the first crude electric television. In its earliest form, the television employed thermal electron emissions and displayed very simple images. The first true television was demonstrated by Phillip T. Farnsworth in 1927. This television technology was implemented in the first video-phone prototypes, created in 1930.

The first foray into satellite communication, which is still widely used today, occurred with Project SCORE in 1958. The satellite used prerecorded voice messages on a tape recorder, and relayed the messages back to Earth. Two years later NASA’s Echo Satellite was launched. Echo was used to reflect radio communications. In 1998 a network of 64 satellites were positioned in Earth's orbit by Iridium. This network of satellites allowed for the widespread use of satellite mobile phones and lead to the modern smartphone.

The rise of the internet brought with it increased telecommunication possibilities. With an official start date of January 1, 1983, the internet called for new protocols in communication.