Τelecommunications have their own history to present over the last three centuries.
Below, we have collected some of the most important key points and milestones in the Telecoms Industry and we are more than happy to share this post with you! Let’s take a look!

1876 – 1919
Telephone invention
In 1876, 29-year-old Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone and in 1903 he received a patent for his revolutionary new invention.

Dial phone invention
In 1891, the first dial phone was invented by Almon Brown Strowger, who patented the automatic telephone exchange (dial service). The main goal of this invention was to eliminate human switchboard operators required to make a phone call.

Ideal headset
In 1919 AT&T Inc, the American multinational telephone organization defined the dimensions of the ideal headset, so the microphone would be next to the caller’s mouth.

1926 – 1960
1st transatlantic phone call
During March 1926, the first transatlantic phone call became a reality, since it was made from London to New York.

Area codes
Area codes, which suggest the numbers that need to be dialed in order to call a specific location, were firstly initiated in 1946.

The invention of touch-tone phones
In 1960, the first touch-tone phones were launched and test-marketed in Ohio. The particularity of these telephones was attributed to the fact that they had 10 buttons, instead of 12 buttons, as we know them today.

1971 – 1979
1st Email message
The first email message was sent in 1971. However, the term “Internet” was used for the very first time 2 years later, but not with today’s concept and meaning.

1st mobile phone
In 1973, the first mobile (cellular) phone was introduced by Martin Cooper, while working for Motorola.
Martin Cooper was recognized as “father of mobile phone” and he was the first individual who made a handheld mobile phone call in public.

The Hamburger Phone
In 1979, the Hamburger Phone, the first phone that looked like a burger was launched!

1983 – 1992
Motorola DynaTAC
In 1983, Motorola DynaTAC 8000x was introduced in the US and went on sale in March. The phone had half an hour talk time, eight hours of standby and had been sold for $3.995.

2G technology
In 1991, 2G technology (second-generation wireless telephone technology) was introduced for the very first time, in Finland by  Radiolinja, a Finnish GSM (Global System of Mobile Communications) operator, founded on September 19, 1988.

1st SMS message
In 1992, the first SMS message was sent from pc to mobile device through Vodafone’s GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) in England.

2001 till today
VoIP Internet Telephony, mobile Internet, wireless Internet technology (wi-fi), digital technology, 3G and 4G mobile networks, smartphones, mobile apps, android and iOS app development software, cloud computing services, “Internet of things” and a great number of advanced and innovative technologies were developed through all these years.
As evolution never stops, we are about to see great things happening in the future!

Sources:
telcomhistory.org
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