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The most well-known telecommunication devices are telephones, radios, televisions, and satellites.  Each one of these inventions has been improved over time and computers have now been linked to these devices.  The telephone has provided a great multitude of telecommunications equipment.

The telegraph was improved to make the multiplex telegraph.  This device made it possible to send many messages at once over the same telephone wire.  Another improvement was to send pictures over the wires, which is done with a machine called a facsimile (fax machine.)

In the 1980’s the mobile radiotelephone communication system was started.  We now call these cellular telephones (cell phones.)  They used low-power radio transmitters to cover small areas.  Electronic switching automatically moved the call from one transmitter to another as the car moved.  A cell is a tower used as a transmitter for these calls.  A disadvantage to cell phones is, people with equipment can pick up your cell phone number and use it to make calls without paying for them.

Since the early 1970’s video telephone service has been around.  This lets you see the person you’re talking to while you’re talking to them.  A video telephone set has a small picture tube and a camera tube.  Each set has a loud speaker, a microphone, and switches to turn off the picture.  The person on the other end must also have a set in order to use this equipment.  So far, this equipment is not used very much by the general public.

One of the best things about telecommunications is teleconferencing.  It allows a number of people at different locations to hold conferences and meetings miles apart.  This saves money on costly lodging and travel.  People who are talking have the luxury of having all the equipment and information right at their finger tips.  New translation equipment for languages will add to telecommunications in the trade with and understanding of people from other countries.

A device called a modem translates computer signals that can travel on wires.  This allows a computer thousands of miles away to communicate with another computer.  This allows people to get information from and share information with others on the Internet and with e-mail.

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