A brief History of Telecom

Telecommunications: The practice of transmitting information.
Nowadays we know this as a smartphone, the internet or television. These platforms all relay information. It's a word that doesn't seem that old. Maybe 30 years? 50 years? 100 years max? Nope, telecommunications has been around since the dawn of language. It was possibly a language predecessor. Malarky you say? Let's take a look and see how far back we can go.

These time frames are based on the popularity of the tech, not when they were developed.

Within the past 20 years we have been privy to the popularization of the internet.  A series of storage units that contain data & transfer packets through a router backbone we call the 'Cloud'. Smartphones also work off that model. Video and audio are transferred in high definition. Even live broadcasts are sent out to plasma T.V.'s and high-def radio. The time it takes to transfer this information has been whittled to seconds. We see exactly what is happening, where it is happening, who it is happening to, when it is happening, and figuratively speaking....why it is happening. All within a brief moment.

1970's to 1990: Land lines are the norm. PBX, fax, and television are the transmission kings. Information is spread throughout individual countries and for a higher service charge; work internationally. All there really is, is audio and it was choppy and slow. We were connected via POTS systems and video was only seen via prerecorded tapes or prerecorded broadcast. Live broadcasting was reserved for special events like New Years or a presidential address, eventually it developed in sitcoms and events.

1930's to 1970: Telephones, Television, Radio, and Movies were the dominant force in telecom. Radio transmissions were the first platform for 'shows' like we see on television. It also allowed for live broadcasts and news from around the world. Movies were recorded and distributed to local movie theaters with news clips as the previews. Telephones were less prominent than radios but allowed for a city to city communication. Switchboard operators provided many jobs until Direct Dialing came along.
Television revolutionized entertainment and telecom. The show's heard on the radio or movies seen in the theater could now be watched on your home television.

1800's to 1930's: The Telegraph and the Telephone. Wired transmission of messages over long distances began in the 1800's. This allowed a sender and receiver to relay coded messages to each other. They would both have to know the coded language, like Morse Code.
The telephone origins are similar to a telegraph but able to send audio signals over the lines. This saved time on De-coding and allowed clients to communicate directly.

1200's to 1800's: Messages were sent utilizing animals. Horseback messengers (like the pony express) delivered messages between cities, and carrier pigeons were trained to fly back and forth.  Other animals could be trained to deliver, but they were not as reliable as horses or pigeons. When messengers arrived they would bear a certain color flag (held high) to announce their intentions prior to arrival. Mirrors could be reflected for notifications or fires lit in a line to give warning or notice.

1200's on back: Fire trails, animals, and flags were used as early notifications of arrivals and messages. Smoke Signals were utilized by every civilization. The Greek historian Polybius converted the alphabet into numbers and created a coded system to send an actual message via smoke signal and sets of paired torches.
Another strategy was drums, whistles, and horns. A distinct sound coming from afar would notify others of danger, announce an arrival or warn people of an imminent attack. Tablets and carvings on stationary plots also directed or warned.


Through ancient times, light, smoke, sounds, signs, and messengers were all used to relay information. Compared to today's technology these are slow and lacking in efficiency. For what the ancients had at their disposal, these were effective tools of relaying information. Now days, we have the information as soon as it happens, back then it may have taken days or weeks. We have come far with our technological advancements, but the fact remains that the human species has always been able to communicate and transmit to each other.

 I wonder how we (the human race) will use telecommunications 100 years from now? Just as we scoff at smoke signals or telegraphs; will the future race laugh at our internet or smart phones? Ideally yes, but we can only help further telecommunications at this point. Our developments may lay the groundwork for an intergalactic network or teleportation. Maybe there is a tool that we haven't even thought of yet. The lesson here is that we are an adaptive and creative race of beings. No one should be stuck in one phase of our technological advancement because that is what we consistently do...advance. We are always on to the 'next' before we have finished the previous. It is ingrained in our genes. Even if you have trouble adapting, the fact remains that you are capable. Don't let advancements get you down, there is always another that you will like even less.