THE TELEPHONE is one of the most important mediums of communication. Graham Bell must have known that it would revolutionize how we communicate in our world. We can't imagine living without it because it's the most convenient way to contact someone. Just pick up the handset, dial a number, and in a few seconds, your talking to that person. It's excellent for informing other people of important information, or just to chat on the weekends.

Telephone conversations are less formal that talking in person. It forces us to adjust to a different way of communication. Because we can't receive any kind of body language from the speaker (expression, hand motion), we are forced to put it all in our voice and in context. It also changes our attitude. Shy people are more aggressive, talkative ones become quiet or even more talkative, but above all it makes everyone less responsible.
In a way, the ring of the phone also makes us afraid. It puts us on guard because we never no who will ring us up, and if the news is going to be positive or negative. That's why we have to respect the telephone. Even if we don't realize it the ring makes us answer it.

Bell's phone from 1876

The telephone was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. . In his phone sound waves fell on a diaphragm with a magnet, which made an alternating current. The current was dispatched to the receiver, and the signal was very faint. In addition, the receiver was also a microphone. The first telephone conversation took place when Bell called his assistant, and said, "Mister Watson, please come here, I need your help." These were his words because he had poured acid over himself.

In 1878 Thomas Alva Edison Edison included to the telephone a carbon microphone which made the device pick up sound much louder. Now many of telephones have powered microphones. Now, cell-phones are very popular, because it's very convenient and can be taken anywhere. With a cell phone, you can be sure that you won't miss any occasion, and that you won't be the last one to know what's going on. The area in which the telecommunication operator works is divided into parts called cells. Inside every cell there is a radio-relay, which transmits signals to and from the phone. An exchange administers the relays; it also has to identify the cell and its location.

CONNECTION When you speak into the microphone, the acoustic waves (your voice) are converted into electrical signals by the diaphragm. They are then sent to the nearest telephone exchange, which then goes to your friend or another exchange as a microwave or through fiber optics, sometimes satellites. When they already are transmitted to the receiver, the opposite effect occurs. The signal passes through an electromagnet making a diaphragm (speaker) vibrate, reproducing the sound, like your voice.

Phohe from 1919

The telephone exchanges also had changed dramatically over the years. First, operators had to connect calls, listen in, and know when to disconnect the call when it was finished. The first human operated system was opened in 1878 in Connecticut. And the first automatic one was opened in the end of 19th century. The first transatlantic connection was opened in 1928.

Would you like to know more?
See information about telegraph and telafax.

a telephone

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