| Alexander Graham Bell most likely had no idea that he | | | | first computerized switch was put into action and by |
| had discovered what would eventually change the | | | | 1982 almost half of all telephone calls were switched |
| world in more ways than can be imagined. The | | | | electronically. |
| technology that started out for telephones has led to | | | | Turning the Century |
| more discoveries in the telecommunication field that | | | | Bell's patent ran out at the turn of the century and |
| keep people in touch and connected around the world. | | | | approximately 6000 independent phone companies |
| The Early Days | | | | opened up shop. These independent companies could |
| On March 10, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell transmitted | | | | only connect locally, AT&T refused to allow them |
| the first speech using electricity. From that day | | | | to link to the national system. Instead, they waited for |
| forward, the telephone system changed every aspect | | | | the little guy to go bankrupt and then bought them out. |
| of life. Although it did not immediately change the world, | | | | In 1984, AT&T got out of the local telephone |
| it set communication on a path that would alter the | | | | service at the end of a ten-year lawsuit pushing to |
| future of communication. | | | | break up the telecommunication giant. This resulted in |
| The initial lack of acceptance of Mr. Bell's discovery | | | | the forming of the so called 'baby Bells'. This breakup |
| was due the telegraph being the dominating form of | | | | also allowed users to own their phones and hook up |
| communication and it had been around for over 50 | | | | their own devices to them. |
| years. This voice across electrical lines that Mr. Bell | | | | Prior to the 20th century phone systems used twisted |
| was proposing was a new and daunting discovery. | | | | copper wires which were expensive to install and |
| In the late 1870's Bell took his public telephone | | | | absorbed a great deal of electrical energy. The coming |
| demonstrations on the road in an attempt to raise | | | | years would see copper wire give way to coaxial |
| awareness and public finance for the project. Mr. Bell | | | | cables, then microwave stations and then |
| presented the telephone as a broadcasting system. | | | | telecommunication satellites. |
| Initially, phones connected only two lines. In June30, 188 | | | | Digital transmission, though not new, did not come into |
| there were 287 phones installed, by July there were | | | | telephone play in a large way until the 1980's. Using |
| 750. Ten years later there would be 167,000 phones | | | | fiber optic cables, digital transmission was up to 125,000 |
| and a maze of wires overhead. (Pool, Ithiel de Sola; | | | | times faster than that of copper cable. Copper wire is |
| _The Social Impact of the Telephone_; Cambridge, | | | | still in use in many areas due to the high cost involved |
| MIT Press, 1977.) | | | | with running fiber optic cable to every home, though |
| Technology | | | | many areas have replaced the lines with fiber optic |
| Mr. Bell wasn't the only person working on ideas that | | | | cable. |
| would impact telephone technology. Thomas Edison | | | | Beyond the Telephone |
| invented the first transmitter and receiver that would | | | | Having mastered the basic telephone and |
| be practical for commercial use. He had already | | | | communication across great distances, there were still |
| invented a type of multiplexing that allowed messages | | | | technological advances waiting to be discovered. The |
| to be sent in opposing directions simultaneously. | | | | fax machine uses telephone lines to transmit digital |
| Many more changes came about in the ensuing years | | | | signals to a modem on the receiving in which decodes |
| and AT&T incorporated in 1885 to lease phones | | | | the signals into messages. Then along came the mobile |
| to homes and offices but maintained ownership of the | | | | or cell phone. |
| technology. | | | | Cell phones appeared in the early 1980's and today |
| Then, in the 1880's the switchboard came on board. | | | | there are millions in use. Cell phone networks use the |
| During this time, there was no dialing, no signaling | | | | regular phone system connected to a computer |
| system, and no electronic switches. Callers would | | | | controlled center and transmission towers to transmit |
| crank the handle; get an operator who then connects | | | | messages. Originally, there were few transmission |
| them to their party and then have their conversation. | | | | towers and the mobile phones were bulky and had to |
| This type of system had no ringer to alert of incoming | | | | be used near towers in order to have clear |
| calls and no privacy due to the operator being the | | | | transmission. |
| middle man holding the call together. | | | | Within a few years, the phones became small enough |
| By 1946 the number of telephone callers made | | | | to fit in the palm of a hand and towers were located |
| switchboard operators' jobs too much for people alone | | | | nearly everywhere. While there are zones with poor |
| to handle. Nearly a quarter of a million operators were | | | | reception, most cell phones are always in a usable |
| working for AT&T in 1946 but that number would | | | | zone. |
| decrease significantly with the invention of automatic | | | | Today, cell phones do much more than just allow for |
| call switching. | | | | voice conversation, cell phones allow access to the |
| Although this switching system was invented in 1889, it | | | | Internet, email, business applications, pictures and much |
| was not until 1914 that it was installed on a large scale | | | | more. |
| basis in New Jersey. Then, it wasn't until 1976 that the | | | | |