The evolution of the telephone: The idea of transmitting sounds electronically dates back to the late 18th century when Italian physicist Alessandro Volta invented the electric battery. Over the next few years, scientists around the world worked to improve this technology and understand how electricity could be used to transmit sound.
In 1854, French physicist Charles Bourseul came up with an idea for a device that could transmit sound electronically. He envisioned a device that could convert sound waves into electrical impulses. Which could be sent down a wire and converted back to sound at the end of the line. However, Bourseul never built the device.
In 1860, German scientist Johann Philipp Reis created a device called a “telephone receiver” that could transmit sounds electronically. Reis’s device was not capable of transmitting sound clearly and reliably. But it was an important step in the way to the invention of the telephone.
In 1875, Alexander Graham Bell was a professor of vocal physiology and a student of sound. Teamed up with financier and inventor Thomas Watson to work on a device that could transmit sound electronically. Bell knew he needed a method to turn sound waves into electrical signals and vice versa. He discovered that this could be achieved using an electromagnet. Which could be used to create electrical impulses when a metal plate vibrated.
In 1876 Bell and Watson finally succeeded in making a device that could transmit sound electronically. On March 10, Bell called Watson from the next room using the historic words “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you”. Watson was able to hear the message clearly through Bell’s apparatus. Marking the first successful transmission of electronic speech in history.
The evolution of the telephone
In short, telephony has had a long evolution from the invention of the telephone in 1876 to the present day. Below is a detailed list of the evolution of telephony:
- Landline: The landline was the first form of telephony and was developed by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. It was a device that allowed people to talk to each other by connecting a cable to a telephone network. In the beginning, the telephone was an expensive luxury and only available to the richest people;
- Manual switchboard: At the beginning of the 20th century, manual switchboards began to be implemented;
- Mobile phone: The first mobile phone was created in 1947 by Bell Labs. It was a big, heavy phone that was installed in a vehicle;
- Cordless phone: The cordless phone was developed in the 1980s and allowed people to move freely while talking on the phone. They used a radio frequency to transmit the call;
- Cell phone: The cell phone was developed in the late 1970s and started to become popular in the 1990s. It allowed people to communicate more conveniently and efficiently than landlines or cordless phones;
- Smartphones: The smartphone is the latest evolution of telephony and combines many functions into one device. Including phone calls, text messages, email, web browsing, games, and much more. They are extremely popular around the world and have transformed the way people communicate and use technology;
- VoIP telephony: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephony is a form of telephony that uses the Internet to transmit voice calls instead of traditional telephone lines. It is a more economical form of communication and more and more companies are switching to this technology.
Conclusion
In short, the evolution of telephony is an example of the human ability to innovate and improve existing technologies. Since the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, telephony has undergone many transformations. Including the introduction of manual telephone exchanges, mobile phones, cordless phones, cell phones, smartphones, and VoIP telephony. In short, these telephony evolutions have changed the way people communicate and have made communication more convenient, efficient, and accessible.
Technology continues to advance and we are likely to see even more changes in the future. Telephony is an example of how innovation can improve people’s lives by making communication easier and connecting people across the world. In short, through the evolution of telephony, we see how technologies can radically change the way we live and work.
I’m a 29 year old editor with a passion for technology and animals. I try to take a little of that passion to other people through my texts, in addition to keeping everyone up to date with the big news.