Telecommunication Evolution Timeline

The way we communicate with one another across distances large and small has changed radically over the last century. We as a nation have gone from the basic telephone used to talk to others across the country to “smart” phones that can be used to not only talk to one another but send text messages and surf the internet. In this paper we will review a few of the major milestones of the telecommunication industry. The first form of telecommunication was the telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. This invention would later open the door to a variety of different types of communications. Another important milestone was the created of the Bell Company monopoly in 1888. By securing patents the company was able to manufacture equipment and provide telephone services with no competition. Most young people today do not remember a time before touch tone service. They take the menu prompt they hear when calling a company for granted. This touch-tone service did not exist until 1963. We can now choose one for accounting or two for the help desk. The next major milestone in telecommunications is the internet. Many think of the internet as the “information super highway” we use today. The Internet was created in 1969 as a result of the Cold War. It was created to be an effective form of communication in case of a nuclear war. It was meant to be used by the military, but with the introduction of a new interface in the 1990s even the most unsophisticated users to “surf” the web with their personal computer. The AT&T monopoly, the parent company of the Bell system, which was created in 1888 was finally dissolved in 1984. Now this is important because healthy competition helps the industry grow and flourish. The technology gets better as one company tries to build something bigger and better to one up the next company. There is proof of this with the invention of the first smart phone in 1992. The way we talk to one another would we changed again by first Internet phone, VoIP or Voice over Internet protocol, in 1995. The following year another important milestone came about. The Telecommunication Act of 1996 helped in terms of protecting the rights of consumers, ensuring all have access, and encouraging competition. Basically this act helped to open up the market to ensure consumers have alternative local companies to provide them service. These are only a few of the many milestones in the telecommunication industry. There are more, but these seem to be the ones that helped shape the industry we have today.

References
Drumheller, R. (2010). The Evolution of US Telephone Service. Faulkner Information Services.
King, W.E., (2003). Telecommunications. Dictionary of American History.