Journey of Communication Technology - Satellite & Digital Communication (1960s–1980s) – The Global Connectivity Era
This phase introduced real-time, global communication via satellites and began the digital transformation of signals, paving the way for the internet, mobile phones, and globalization.
π°️ 5.1 Satellite Communication
πΉ Key Milestones
1962: Launch of Telstar 1 – first active communication satellite (USA)
1965: First commercial satellite system (Intelsat I) begins international service
1975: India launches SITE (Satellite Instructional Television Experiment) with NASA
π‘ Features
Enabled long-distance TV, phone, and fax
Provided communication access in remote and rural regions
Used geostationary satellites for consistent global coverage
In India:
Year
|
Satellite
Event
|
1975
|
SITE
– televised education to Indian villages
|
1976
|
INSAT
program begins planning
|
1982
|
INSAT-1A
launched (first Indian multipurpose satellite)
|
1983
|
First
satellite-based telecommunication services in India
|
π» 5.2 Digital Communication Technologies
πΉ What Changed:
Communication moved from analog signals (waves) to digital signals (bits)
Introduced error correction, encryption, and data compression
Basis for fax, email, digital TV, and eventually the Internet
πΉ Technologies Introduced:
Digital telephone exchanges – replacing analog switches
Modems – allowed computers to send/receive over telephone lines
Packet Switching – foundation of the internet (ARPANET started in 1969)
Early Fax Machines and Pagers
π 5.3 Mobile Communication Foundations
1973: First mobile phone call made by Martin Cooper (Motorola)
1983: First commercial mobile phone (Motorola DynaTAC 8000X)
India: Introduced mobile phones later, but landline networks expanded during this period
π₯️ 5.4 Computer Networking Begins
1969: ARPANET (precursor to the Internet) launches in the US
1980s: Local Area Networks (LANs) were used in universities, offices
Protocols: TCP/IP developed (foundation for all modern digital communication)
πΊ 5.5 Cable & TV Expansion
Satellite TV enabled:
Live global news coverage
Olympics, moon landing, and wars broadcast in real time
Growth of Doordarshan in India into a national broadcaster
π§ Summary of Impact
Domain
|
Transformation
|
Global
News
|
Real-time
international coverage
|
Education
|
Satellite
TV for rural literacy
|
Telecom
|
Digitized
switching, clearer calls
|
Data
Sharing
|
Foundations
of email & the internet
|
Rural
India
|
Access
to TV via satellite (SITE)
|
π India’s Satellite Pioneering Projects
Project
|
Purpose
|
Outcome
|
SITE
(1975)
|
TV-based
rural education
|
Reached
2,400 villages
|
INSAT
(1982)
|
Telecommunication,
weather, TV
|
Backbone
of Indian digital TV & telecom
|
NICNET
(1980s)
|
Govt
network over satellites
|
Boosted
e-Governance and administration
|
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