History of Telegraphy in Timeline

Telegraphy involves transmitting messages over long distances using codes understood by both the sender and receiver. While ancient signaling systems existed, they lacked the ability to convey arbitrary text messages, unlike true telegraphs. An example of telegraphy is flag semaphore, where flags represent letters or codes. Pigeon post, on the other hand, relies on physically transporting a message and doesn't qualify as telegraphy.

1900: Invention of the Bildtelegraph

Around 1900, German physicist Arthur Korn invented the Bildtelegraph, a type of fax machine that gained significant popularity in Europe.

1900: Telegraph's Decline Becomes Evident

By 1900, the decline of the telegraph industry became increasingly apparent, despite a brief surge in popularity due to congratulatory telegrams.

1901: Marconi's Transatlantic Wireless Transmission

In 1901, Guglielmo Marconi achieved a groundbreaking feat by transmitting the first wireless signals across the Atlantic Ocean.

1901: Tesla's Wireless Power Transmission Experiments

Nikola Tesla experimented with wireless electric power transmission in 1901, attempting to use the Earth as a conductor, but his ambitious project at Wardenclyffe Tower was ultimately unsuccessful.

1902: Discovery of the Ionosphere

Further research into Marconi's long-distance radio transmissions in 1902 led to the discovery of the ionosphere, a layer in the Earth's atmosphere that reflects radio waves.

1904: Marconi's Commercial Wireless News Service

In 1904, Marconi pioneered the first commercial wireless service by transmitting nightly news summaries to ships equipped to receive them.

October 1907: First Regular Transatlantic Radio-Telegraph Service

A significant milestone in communication history was achieved on October 17, 1907, with the launch of the first regular transatlantic radio-telegraph service.

1908: Bildtelegraph's Role in Crime Fighting

The Bildtelegraph's use expanded in 1908, notably for transmitting a wanted person's photograph from Paris to London, highlighting its practical application in law enforcement.

1915: Decline of the Heliograph

Starting in 1915, the use of the heliograph for communication began to decline.

1919: Establishment of the Central Bureau for Registered Addresses

Founded in 1919, the Central Bureau for Registered Addresses in New York City aimed to address the issue of incorrect telegram deliveries.

1920: Decline of the Telegraph

By 1920, the telegraph industry began a steady decline due to competition from the telephone, which offered faster communication, and the letter post, which was more affordable.

1920: Telephone's Impact on Telegraph Decline

The growth of telephone usage, starting around 1920, significantly contributed to the decline of the telegraph industry, as the telephone offered a faster and more convenient way to communicate.

1923: British Dominance in Submarine Cable Systems

Despite some setbacks, British companies still controlled a significant 42.7 percent of the world's submarine cables in 1923, demonstrating their continued influence in global communication.

1926: Telex Development Begins

The development of Telex, a revolutionary public switched network of teleprinters, began in Germany in 1926.

1929: Invention of the Hellschreiber

Rudolf Hell invented the Hellschreiber, a mechanical image scanning and transmission device, in 1929, which became a major competitor to earlier fax machines.

1929: Peak of Telegram Usage

The year 1929 marked the peak of telegram usage, with an estimated 200 million telegrams sent, highlighting their importance in communication despite the rise of newer technologies.

1933: Telex Becomes Operational

In 1933, Telex became an operational service in Germany under the Reichspost, the German imperial postal service.

1934: Success of the Central Bureau for Registered Addresses

By 1934, the Central Bureau for Registered Addresses had achieved considerable success, with 28,000 registered codes for telegram addresses, indicating a demand for reliable message delivery.

1942: Heliograph Use in World War II

Despite its decline, the heliograph was still being used by Australian forces as late as 1942 during the Western Desert Campaign of World War II.

1950: Average Telegram Length in the UK

Studies show that before 1950, the average telegram sent in the UK was concise, with a length of 14.6 words or 78.8 characters.

July 1957: Telex Introduction in Canada

Telex, a network of teleprinters, was introduced in Canada in July 1957, marking a significant advancement in text-based communication.

1958: Telex Introduction in the United States

Following its success in Canada, Telex was introduced in the United States in 1958, expanding its reach and transforming business communication.

1963: Introduction of ASCII

The American Standards Association introduced ASCII, a seven-bit code, in 1963, which greatly improved Telex by supporting more characters, including upper and lowercase.