The Evolution

of Communication
The history of communication has
changed rapidly since the dawn
of time. From sending smoke
signals to instantly having the
ability to seek help, communicate
with others, and find information,
changes in communication have
shaped today’s way of living.
Without progressions in communication, mankind
could still be using carrier pigeons and other basic
tools to get help. Understanding the history of
communication through a timeline is essential
to grasp just how far we have come as a species.
Whether or not you are an expert with today’s
methods of communicating and getting in touch,
understanding our past and history is a must when
moving forward with future innovations, science,
and technology.
Fires, Smoke Signals, and Horns
(Prehistoric Times)
Some of the most common methods of communicating
in prehistoric times included using fires, smoke signals,
and even horns to capture the attention of others.
Using fires and smoke helped individuals to share their
locations and to seek out assistance when they were
in trouble or looking to be found. Horns were used to
help communicate times and important events that
took place within growing communities and tribes.
Using smoke signals was also helpful to track when
groups were moving from one location to another,
since they did not have the luxury of maps or the
ability to search a location within minutes with
technology like we have today.
Pigeon Post
In the 5th century BCE, pigeon post was an actual
method to use when sending documents, letters, and
other important information to another town or nearby
city. Pigeon post used pigeons to help deliver mail—
a far cry from the mail carriers we have today.
To utilize pigeon post, individuals would take
pigeons away from their homes or original nests
to a destination that required them. Using the
pigeons homing abilities, an individual was capable
of sending messages and letters back and forth, as
the pigeon always returned to its original nest once
the letter or document had been attached. Using
pigeons helped to relieve the use of messengers in
this time to help with delivering messages and must-
read documents accurately and in a timely manner.
Hydraulic and Maritime Semaphores
Hydraulic and maritime semaphores were available in
the 4th and 15th century. Semaphore tools included
the use of containers filled with water, a floating rod,
and various codes or symbols. In order to make contact
with another using the semaphore, an individual
would drain the water from the chosen semaphore
to a certain height—leaving a coded message based
on the height of the water. Semaphores were most
popular in Greek history and are no longer of any use
in today’s world.
Signal Lamps
Signal lamps began the move towards using
technology when communicating. Signal lamps,
which were available around 1867, helped to
communicate with individuals through the use of
light or secret code, often known as Morse Code.
Using Morse Code with signal lamps was a method
of communicating with other towns, cities, and even
water vessels out in the open sea. A signal lamp was
often only beneficial if those who were receiving the
signals were capable of deciphering them on their
own. Without an understanding of Morse Code,
signal lamps would be highly ineffective for the
general public. Today, signal lamps are still used for
military and defense purposes with soldiers on land
and overseas.
Newspapers
Newspapers have always been a method of
communicating, although it is not meant for direct
communication from one individual to another.
Newspapers were often published for small towns
and cities in the late 1800s, but became one of the
largest trends in the 1900s for other countries and
the United States itself. Even today, newspapers are
still useful and many prefer to read newspapers in-hand
rather than online or with the use of a mobile phone.
TransAtlantic Telegraph
Since 1838, electrical telegraph communication
became popular, and in 1858, the very first trans-
Atlantic telegraph cable was up and running. Having
the ability to communicate from America to Europe
was possible on August 16, 1858, when the first
message was sent. It read: “Europe and America
are united by telegraphy. Glory to God in the highest;
on Earth, peace and good will toward men.” After
the development of the trans-Atlantic telegraph, it
became much easier to maintain contact with other
countries while working towards more methods of
communication for the general public.
Telephone
By 1876, the official telephone was available to use
for individuals interested in contacting others from
the comfort of their own homes or offices, depending
on their financial situations. The first telephone
invention is debatable, as many inventions from
the 1840s-1870s are often classified as telephone
communication devices. However, 1876 is when
Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone.
Acoustic Phonographs
The acoustic phonograph was developed and used in
1877 by Thomas Edison, leading the path towards more
electrical means of communication. The acoustic
phonograph was one of the most influential tools
developed and released to assist in the move forward
with electrical means of telegraph communication.
Sound vibrations waveforms were used to help in
transferring sound and communicating to another
line or phonograph. Using an acoustic phonograph
was possible when communicating with others who
also had a phonograph and were capable of receiving
messages sent.
Wireless Telegraphy
In 1893, Nikolas Tesla helped to form the use of
wireless telegraphy with the use of “wireless lightning,”
a theory he discussed openly. He also concluded that
the produced radio waves were being transmitted—and
had the ability to be transmitted—because the waves
were not simply just repeating audio and information.

As wireless telegraphy began to take off, a slew of new
inventions and methods of communication arose.
Although wireless telegraphy became extremely
widespread and known by the early 1900s, it would
be another century before wireless devices entered
our own hands. Without wireless telegraphy and the
ability to send patterns, sound waves, and video
using wireless technology, it is tough to say where
our communication methods would be now.
Radio
The radio was officially available in approximately 1896,
although there is a long history of radio communications
and methods of transmitting signals that also date back
to the early 1800s. The radio became an American
sensation by the mid-1900s, causing entire families
to sit around each evening to catch up on world and
local news.
Although radio is used less today as a two-way mode
of communication, it is still popular among drivers and
those who prefer to listen to a book or the news versus
reading it. Additionally, there is also satellite radio now
available for vehicles and the at-home listener that
provides constant streaming of news, information,
and music without disruptions, advertisements, or
promotions throughout the broadcast.
Transcontinental Telephone Calling
Having the ability to call another individual overseas
was practically unheard of for individuals prior to 1914.
Using transcontinental telephone calling was a major
shift in communicating and having the ability to stay
in touch with loved ones, friends, and acquaintances
who were living in another country overseas.
Commercial Radio-Telephone Service
By 1927, the very first commercial radio-telephone
service within the UK and the US was released. Having
the ability to communicate openly with Europe
revolutionized the way in which we communicated
and shared information. By 1934, it was possible
to communicate with Japan from the US with the
use of radio-television services in combination with
wireless telegraphy.
Experimental Videophones
Experimental videophones were popularized in the early
1920s until the later 1930s, when they were actually
developed and released. In 1930, more experimental
videophones began to arrive, although they were without
success. The very first videophone network to be
released to the public was in 1936, when individuals
began having the rare opportunity to see television
for what it is today. Once the very first network was
officially established, it was possible to begin planning
shows and creating schedules for news and other video-
related broadcasts that had been filmed in the past.
Limited Mobile Telephone
Service for Automobiles
1946 introduced the potential of having telephones in
automobiles, although this trend did not become more
well-known and popular until the late 20th century.
Using a telephone within a vehicle with the use of
limited mobile telephone service is still used today,
but mostly in rural areas and towns without as much
technology progression of vehicles and communication.
Trans-Atlantic Telephone Cable
By 1956, the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable was
completed between the US and the UK. The telephone
cable itself is used underwater to help connect the
countries. Using trans-Atlantic cable is still known today,
as there are thousands of underwater cables to date
that allow networks to stay in touch with one another
while ensuring that communications with different
nations and countries is still possible. However, this
communication is becoming more wireless with time.
Fiber Optical Telecommunications
As 1970 approached, using different materials
for communications was all the rage. In 1978,
fiber optic cables were first installed to create a
network system. Having the ability to use fiber
optical telecommunications was possible at
this time, allowing for better connections, less
problems, and an entirely speedier network on
which to communicate. Fiber optics helped to
establish phone companies and service providers
that are still around and operating successfully.
Today, fiber optics are used to help provide even
faster speeds and bandwidth for internet service
that is being provided for a business or in a
residential home.
First Public North American
Videophone Network
The first public North American videophone network
was officially released in 1965 by AT&T’s Bell Labs. The
videophone network was first released and shown at
Disneyland and New York’s World Fair on April 20, 1964.
This videophone network would later become one of
the most popular forms of getting information and
watching it in our own homes: the television.
Television
The first television was completed in 1927, although
it would be decades before most Americans had
televisions in their own homes. By the mid-1900s,
most families had their very own black and white
television set, allowing them to keep up with the
latest news or watch “American Bandstand,” one of
the most popular shows of its time. Using television
as a means of communication was possible with local
and national news stations, allowing individuals to
consume news and information without buying the
latest newspaper that had been printed.
Television today is much different than it was in past
years. There are now hundreds, and sometimes
thousands, of channels. When the original televisions
were released, most individuals were able to access
anywhere from one to five channels—mostly consisting
of news, updates, and information from around the
world and locally. With the current use of television,
channels broadcast movies, documentaries, television
shows, and reality TV. The evolution of the television
is one of the most influential changes in human
history for communications and news.
Computer Networking
Although computers were being worked on and
developed throughout the 1900s, computer networking
did not arrive in our society until the 1960s. The first
wide area network (WAN) came in 1965 and ARPANET
was used to connect four universities in 1969. It
became possible to communicate and connect with
other users who also owned computers and similar
electronics. Computer networking itself is a means
of communicating with the use of multiple devices
that are also electronic.
Having the ability to network multiple computers was
one of the biggest innovations in communications
for humanity to date. With the advent of computers
and internet technology, it has never been easier
to find information while easily connecting with
millions of people.
Mobile/Cellular Networks Established
The first modern cellular phone or device was originally
developed in 1973, although it wasn’t until 1981 when
the very first mobile and cellular network was officially
launched. Cellular phones that were released in the
1980s through the late 1990s were often large, bulky,
and similar to land-line telephone models.
Most mobile phones and cellular devices in this time
were used for those who had white collar jobs and had
the ability to afford the expensive, new technology.
It was not until the late 1980s that using individual
mobile phones would catch on as a modern method
of communication. Most mobile and cellular network
phones in the 1980s and 1990s only provided the
ability to call other individuals using a traditional dial
pad. Today, many cell phones are called “smartphones,”
because they have hundreds of features and abilities
to stay in touch with others.
Email
SMTP email was officially available in 1981, making
waves for communication throughout offices and
corporate businesses. Using email in the 1980s was a
new form of communicating, but also a silent one. By
the late 1980s and early 1990s, using SMTP traditional
email systems was a must—especially for businesses
and office workplaces. With the use of email, it became
much easier to share messages, new information, and
ideas with co-workers without taking up copious
amounts of time. Using email is still a common practice,
although lately the use of mobile applications and
video services has dominated the market.
Instant Messaging
While email was still trending and being used for
personal and professional means of contact, instant
messaging was in the works. With the development
and release of instant messaging programs such
as AIM and Yahoo! Instant Messenger, talking with
family, friends, and even strangers across the world
had never been easier. After creating a simple
username and password, just about anyone with
internet access had the ability to utilize an instant
messaging program.
Using instant messaging allowed individuals to quickly
chat with friends, make plans, and even meet new
people from the comforts of their own living rooms.
The basis of social media today is derived from the
use of instant messaging programs throughout the
1990s and early 2000s.
Widespread Internet Access
Towards the late 1990s and the early 2000s, having
Internet access in homes became more widespread,
allowing the traditional family to have access without
paying excessively high prices. Internet access drastically
changed the way we communicate with one another.
News portals, blogs, and investigative journalism all
changed how the Internet is viewed today.

With millions of URLs and domains to visit, individuals

began to learn more and had multiple methods of
communicating with family, friends, and coworkers.
Social Media
Social media is one of the largest forms of
communication today and has remained this
way for the past half-decade. Social media allows
people to communicate with one another via a social
media platform. Joining and becoming a member of
an online community is a way to find friends, past
classmates, long-lost family members, and new
potential business partners to work with in the future.
Social media is used for exactly what it sounds like:
being social. Sharing updates with multiple networks
and cross-promoting new brands or products has
become a trend with the use of social media, as most
networks are free to join and use the network for
personal or commercial purposes.
Social media allows for sharing to different
networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,
Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram. Using different
networks to communicate with others has allowed
individuals to garner fans and followers, giving an
entirely new platform for individuals to voice their
opinions and sell products or services that they have
to offer. With the use of some of the most popular
platforms available today, it is possible to share news,
seek assistance, and launch your own business.
Social media has become a starting point for
many new businesses and startups available
around the world. With the use of social media,
it is now possible to launch advertising and marketing
campaigns without hiring a specialist or seeking out
a PR firm. The more familiar you become with each
individual social network, the easier it becomes to
relate to those you want to reach with the type of
content or information that you are sharing. Social
media has become a key factor in building a presence
for yourself personally or building an image and
reputation professionally in any field or industry.
Smartphones
Smartphone technology is one of the biggest changes
to communication in the past few years. Smartphones
are considered mobile or cellular devices, but often
they act more like a typical computer. The most
popular systems on the market today are iOS, from
Apple, and Android, from Google. The Android and
iOS smartphones on the market today are touch
screen and give users the ability to send emails,
text messages, and responses on social media from
almost any location, so long as it has satellite cell
phone reception.
It has never been easier to stay in touch and
communicate with those you know than with a
smartphone. Smartphones provide the ability to
download mobile applications and video chats, which
is another form of communication that has been a
rapidly growing trend for the new generation.
 Mobile Apps and Video What’s Next?
Communications It’s difficult to speculate on the next form of
Mobile applications are used with smartphones technology, although more wireless devices
to communicate with strangers, family, and friends. and methods of sharing are surely on the rise.
There are thousands of mobile apps that are available
Understanding the history of communication is a way
to help things such as getting organized, saving money,
to learn more about how far we have come as a species.
and building businesses. Mobile communication apps
are steadily on the rise and in-demand from consumers.
Using mobile applications to communicate can be From smoke signals and pigeons to
done with an anonymous account or by registering
instantly connecting via video chat
an account of your own to meet new people while
also staying in touch with those you know. Mobile around the world, society has seen
apps are ideal when you are on-the-go or in need of
a quick video call with a friend or family member. drastic improvements in the way that

Mobile applications also allow for video we communicate over the past centuries,
communications. Some of the most popular and is continuing to move forward and
video applications today include Google Hangouts
and Skype. Using a free downloadable mobile app create new technology that complements
on a smartphone is a way to instantly connect with
or replaces existing technology.
individuals from around the world, whether you
are working at home or vacationing in Rome.

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