Communication is an essential human activity that has left us surviving as a species for a very long time. It has come a long way since then, with now telecommunications being available worldwide. This article will look into how modern telecommunications came to be and answer the question that is hotly debated today: is telecommunications dying?
Prehistoric Era
During prehistoric times, human beings communicated through smokes and by shouting. Clans utilize smoke signals to communicate to others danger is coming or victory against an enemy clan. This is a simple form of communication but one that has lasted for thousands of years.
Drums, Horns, and Beacons
The Greeks, Romans, Persians, and other civilizations worldwide utilized drums and horns to signal orders during large-scale battles. These orders can be as simple as a march or as complex as flank the enemy. Memorization was important for every soldier in the battle lines as no one was there to interpret each order in the heat of battle.
The Romans and utilized beacons and military signaling to communicate with each other over long distances. Fire signals or fire beacons are famous for signaling that trouble is ahead or a conquering army is reaching the gates. These ways of communication have been widely used for many years, reaching at the time of Napoleon.
Modern Telecommunication
1672
Modern telecommunication was first discovered in 1672 by inventor Robert Hooke. Hooke found that sound travels through strings. Although this didn’t develop into the telephone we know of today, it served as a basis for its design.
The 1830s-1840s
It was Samuel Morse who first invented the “Morse Code” through the utilization of telegraphs. Telegraphs are a simple invention that utilizes a pendulum-like design is where a piece of metal swings to print out dots and lines on a piece of paper. Samuel Morse eventually utilized two telegraphs to send messages to one another.
Since the technology was bare-bones, communication was primarily done through paper with telegraphs printing dots and lines. Morse then invented a system that could translate these symbols into words known as ‘Morse Code.’ It is still used up to this day, especially during emergencies. There is also a subject in military studies that explains the utility of the Morse Code and how it can give discreet orders to soldiers.
1876
Eventually, it was Alexander Graham Bell who capitalized from the previous inventions by inventing the telephone in 1876. It was the first form of long-range telecommunication, in where people can communicate from city to city. Interestingly enough, the way telephones worked way back then is similar to how they work now. It’s just the process is more streamlined, and people can communicate from across the world if they wanted.
1896-1901
The first form of wireless communication was invented in 1896 by a man named Guglielmo Marconi. Before it was called a radio, it was considered a long-range telegraph that can help communicate with people from thousands of miles. Marconi’s radio has saved thousands of lives, many of which came from sailors and ships. This awarded him the Nobel Prize alongside Karl F. Braun.
The Early 1900s to World War II
The early 1990s to World War II was a time of improvements in the aforementioned inventions. There were multiple installations of telephones across many states and cities in the US. The United Kingdom also had its own network of telecommunications by the end of the 1920s.
Germany had invented the first video phone, which was only meant for ‘The Aryan’ race. After the fall of Nazi Germany, videophones became available worldwide.
The 1960s to 1970s
The 1960s and 1970s was a time when telecommunication was taken into space. It was during this time period when the first telecommunications satellite was sent into space. AT&T first was the first telecommunications company to send its satellites into orbit in 1964.
The first version of the mobile phone was then invented by Martin Cooper in 1973. It featured the ability to make phone calls on the go, although the design was quite bulky compared to the mobile phones of the early 2000s.
Satellite Radios
The early 1990s was a time of many improvements into the telecommunication we know of today. It was also this time radios were also improved. Satellite radios became commonplace among emergency services. The production of MSAT-G2 satellite radios also made it possible for inter-country communication with barely any latency. This form of advanced radio is utilized by people worldwide but can be mainly seen in the military and emergency services.
The Internet, Smartphones, and Beyond
We’ve come to a time when communication is available anywhere we go. The presence of the internet and smartphones makes it possible for us to be connected anywhere we go. But this does not mean that more modern types of equipment are replacing telecommunications. It’s a growing industry that has expanded its services to many aspects of daily life. It is being modernized to better suit our lives today, and many homes worldwide still have telephones in service.
So the answer to the question ‘is telecommunications dying?’ is a resounding no. It is stronger than ever as more advanced radios are being made and wireless telecommunications become more streamlined.
