A short history of Telecoms

A very long time ago, if you wanted to talk to someone, you have two options. The first one is to talk to them face to face. Easy if you live close, but not so much if you live further apart.
Or your second option was to write them a letter. Not so easy when you don't know how to read or write.

This is a short history of telecoms.

The Telegraph

In 1844, a man called Samuel Morse invented a machine called the "Telegraph". This was a new machine that revolutionised the way people were able to communicate.

It worked by sending out messages in Morse code from one machine to another. Of course, if you had one, you would need to understand Morse code, but most who were wealthy enough to have one could understand.

For the first time, two people who lived across the country from one another were able to communicate with one another.

The Telephone

Then of course in 1876, one of the greatest inventors of all time, Alexander Graham Bell, invented the telephone.

Now, you didn't even need to speak in Morse code to be able to communicate with other people.

The telephone was another telecoms revolution. Even today, many people still use the telephone when they need to urgently talk to someone. Of course, the ones we use today are a little bit more advanced than the one he invented.

Because of the telephone two people from across the planet are able to talk to one another.

The Fax Machine

Into the future now, and the fax machine is now a staple of almost every office. These were the days when the internet was still in it's very early days, and sending emails was a lengthy and expensive process.

However, if you wanted to be able to send documents to another office, the fax machine was the way to do it.

Whether you wanted to send a letter, or a spreadsheet, the fax machine made it not just possible but also easy.

Looking back now, we might roll our eyes as it can take a few minutes to print, but back then, this was big news!

The Email

It started in 1971, but didn't fully take off until quite a bit later. Now, as long as two people both had a computer and the internet, sending anything between two people had never been easier.

No need to have to use your voice anymore. No need to know any special codes, or anything of that sort. All you needed to do was type your message, perhaps attach the documents that you want, and press send.

Because of the invention of the e-mail workers were able to be even more productive.

Social Media

And now that brings us up to today. For may younger people, sending emails is seen as old fashioned. The way to connect to people now is to use social media.

In the not so distant past, social media was only used for personal interactions. But times are changing, and fast. More companies than ever before are using social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to be able to connect better with their customers and promote their services or products better.

These days, social media can be used by companies in a large variety of different ways.

Telecoms sure has come a long way since the invention of the Telegraph. And only time will tell what the next stage is going to be.

But next time you get annoyed about having your boss telling you that he needs you to send out those emails, just be happy that you don't need to write letters!