Journey of Communication Technology - Telegraph & Telephone Era (1800s–1900s) – The Dawn of Electronic Communication

Journey of Communication Technology - Telegraph & Telephone Era (1800s–1900s) – The Dawn of Electronic Communication

This era marked the shift from physical to electrical communication, allowing people to transmit information across continents in seconds—a true revolution for diplomacy, warfare, journalism, and global trade.

📟 3.1 The Electric Telegraph (1830s–1850s)

Inventor: Samuel Morse & Alfred Vail (1837)

Technology: Electrical signals sent over wires using Morse code (dots & dashes)

First Message (1844): “What hath God wrought” – sent from Washington to Baltimore

Impact:

Real-time communication for the first time

Critical in railways, the military, and newspapers

🌐 3.2 Transcontinental & Submarine Telegraphs

Transcontinental US line (1861): Connected the East and West coasts

First Transatlantic cable (1866): Between the UK and the USA

Indian Telegraph (1850s): The British built it for administration and control

Impact in India: Helped govern and unify colonial administration; used during the 1857 revolt

☎️ 3.3 Invention of the Telephone (1876)

Inventor: Alexander Graham Bell (patented in 1876)

How it worked: Converted voice into electrical signals over a wire

First voice call: Bell to Watson, “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.”

Early devices: Wall-mounted, connected by manual switchboards

📞 3.4 Telephone Exchanges & Public Networks

Telephone Exchanges: Set up in major cities worldwide by the 1880s–90s

Manual operators connected calls via plugs and cords

In India, the First telephone line (1882) in Kolkata was used for business, governance, and elite society

📰 3.5 Impact on Society

Area	Telegraph Impact	Telephone Impact
Business	Real-time pricing, stock markets	Faster client communication
Media	News wires (Reuters, AP)	Live interviews, faster reporting
Government	Crisis communication, war alerts	Public service coordination
Personal Life	Letters replaced by telegrams	Families connected across cities

📬 India-Specific Highlights

Year	Milestone
1851	First telegraph line (Calcutta–Diamond Harbor)
1857	Telegraph used to suppress the Sepoy Mutiny
1882	First telephone exchange in India (Calcutta)
1902	Wireless telegraphy was tested between Sagar Island and Kolkata