The using of electronic equipment to send and receive messages are called telecommunications. The term comes from the Greek word tele, meaning far. The most well known telecommunication devices are the telephone, radio, television, and satellite. Each of these inventions has been improved upon and computers have been linked to these essential devices. The telephone especially has provided a great a multitude of telecommunication equipment.

Innovations to one of the earliest forms of modern communications the telegraph, came the multiplex telegraph. This device made it possible to send many messages at one time over the same telegraph wire. The next improvement was to send pictures over the wires. This was called facsimile. Other developments were the teletypewriter. This replaced the Morse Code. The machine used to type this was the teleprinter. These machines were used by news agencies to send reports to newspapers. Telegrams are sent this way.

The mobile radiotelephone communication system was started in the 1980's. It was also called cellular telephones. These phones use low-power radio transmitters to cover small regional areas. Electronic switching automatically transfers the call from one transmitter to another as the car moves from cell to another cell. A cell in this instance is a tower used as a transmitter for these calls. A problem with cell phones is, people with equipment can pick up your cell number and use it to make calls without paying for them.

Video telephone service has been around since the early 1970's. You can actually see the other person while you are talking. A video telephone set has a small picture tube and a camera tube. Each set has a microphone and a loudspeaker. There are also switches to turn off the picture. The person on the other end must also have a set in order to use this equipment. This is a possibility for the future. So far, this equipment is not in heavy use by the population in general.

One of the biggest booms to telecommunications is the teleconferencing. It allows a number of people at different locations to hold meetings and conferences miles apart. This saves on costly travel and lodgings. The people who are talking have the luxury of having all the equipment and information right at there disposal. New translation equipment for languages will aid in the expansion of trade and understanding of countries.

The use of a device called a modem translates computer signals into signals that can travel on telephone wires. This allows the computer to communicate with another computer thousands of miles away. There are different speeds for modems. The fastest accesses cost more to use.

The future of telecommunications is limitless. Microelectronic devices will we involved with all the components of communication systems. Fiber optics will have replaced much of the cables under cities and that are across many countries. New switching and transmission systems will be entirely computerized. The use of digital pulses to control the transmission of computer based libraries, data banks to provide vital information for medical and scientific, engineering and financial transmission will be essential for the future of societies.