Tuesday, June 24, 2025

Journey of Communication Technology - Internet & Mobile Era (1990s–2000s) – The Age of Global Digital Connectivity


Journey of Communication Technology - Internet & Mobile Era (1990s–2000s) – The Age of Global Digital Connectivity

This era marks a seismic shift in how humans communicate. The internet and mobile phones became widely accessible, transforming communication from one-to-one and scheduled (telegrams, landlines) to instant, anytime, anywhere messaging, browsing, and calling.

🌍 1. Rise of the Internet (1990s)

πŸ•Έ️ Key Milestones:

1991: World Wide Web goes public

1995: First commercial internet service launched in India (VSNL)

1996–1999: Cyber cafes emerge in metros; internet becomes available in homes

🌐 Internet Features:

Email replaces letters

Chat rooms, forums, and blogs connect global communities

Search engines (Yahoo!, Google) change information discovery

Web 1.0: Static websites with limited interactivity

πŸ“¬ Early email services in India: VSNL mail, SatyamOnline, Rediffmail

πŸ“± 2. Mobile Phones Transform Communication (Late 1990s–2000s)

πŸ“ž Early Mobile Era (2G – GSM/CDMA)

1995: First mobile call in India (between West Bengal CM & Telecom Minister)

Technology: GSM & CDMA (digital voice + SMS)

Affordable handsets (Nokia, Motorola) drove adoption


Year

Milestone

1995

First mobile call in India (Modi Telstra)

1998

Mobile phones begin to spread beyond metros

2000s

Prepaid SIM cards revolutionize access



πŸ“² Mobile Features (2G Era):

Text messaging (SMS) becomes the new normal

Ringtones, wallpapers, and games personalize devices

Limited internet access (WAP, GPRS) began around 2004–05

3. India-Specific Developments


Area

Impact

Business

Stock updates, SMS alerts, and mobile banking emerge

Education

Email and Google open up access to global knowledge

Society

Cyber cafes become youth hubs; mobile phones bridge family distances

News/Media

Newspapers go online; SMS updates gain popularity



πŸ–₯️ 4. Computers, Internet CafΓ©s & Email Boom

Cyber cafΓ©s sprang up in every town

Online chatting (Yahoo! Messenger, Rediff Bol) popularized digital friendships

Flash websites, blogs, and Orkut introduced personal publishing

πŸ’¬ 5. Mobile vs Internet Use (Late 1990s–2000s)


Feature

Internet (Cyber cafΓ©s)

Mobile Phones

Cost

Hourly rates

Prepaid balance

Use case

Email, browsing, chatting

SMS, calling, ringtones

Devices

Desktop PCs

Basic phones (Nokia, Sony)

Internet access

Dial-up or GPRS

Slow WAP, no full browser



🧠 Summary: What Changed in This Era


Domain

Before (1980s)

After (2000s)

Communication

Phone calls, letters

Email, SMS, chat, mobile calls

Media

Radio, TV

Online news, blogs, Orkut, YouTube

Work Culture

Manual files, fax

Digital docs, email, forums

Access

Government centers

Personal devices (mobile, desktop)



πŸ”§ Foundations Laid for:

3G/4G connectivity

Social media boom

e-Governance and e-commerce

Digital identity & mobile banking (later Aadhaar & UPI)

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