A Brief History of Telecommunications

Telecommunication is the assisted transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. In earlier times, this may have involved the use of smoke signals, drums, semaphore, flags, or heliograph. In modern times, telecommunication typically involves the use of electronic transmitters such as the telephone, television, radio or computer. Early inventors in the field of telecommunication include Alexander Grahan Bell, Guglielmo Marconi and John Logie Baird Telecommunication is an important part of the world economy and the telecommunication industry's contribution was estimated to be $1.2 trillion in 2006.

Early forms of telecommunication include smoke signals and drums. - Sir Charles Wheatstone and Sir William Fothergill Cooke invented the electric telegraph in 1837 -In 1832, James Lindsay gave a classroom demonstration of wireless telegráphy to his students. By 1854, he was able to demonstrate a transmission across the Firth of Tay. In December 1901, Guglielmo Marconi established wireless communication between St. John’s, Newfoundland (Canada) and Poldhu Cornwall (England) - On September 11, 1940, George Stibitz was able to transmit problems using teletype to his Complex Number Calculator in New York and receive the computed results back at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Early forms of telecommunication include smoke signals and drums. - Sir Charles Wheatstone and Sir William Fothergill Cooke invented the electric telegraph in 1837 -In 1832, James Lindsay gave a classroom demonstration of wireless telegráphy to his students. By 1854, he was able to demonstrate a transmission across the Firth of Tay. In December 1901, Guglielmo Marconi established wireless communication between St. John’s, Newfoundland (Canada) and Poldhu Cornwall (England) - On September 11, 1940, George Stibitz was able to transmit problems using teletype to his Complex Number Calculator in New York and receive the computed results back at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.