A Brief History of Data Communications

While many may think of data communication as a relatively modern advancement, the history of data communications actually dates back almost 200 years, back to the years without Wi-Fi or cell phones. With 126 million phone lines and 7.5 million cell phone users just in the United States, it is clear that the world today is truly in an "Information Age". Before further advancements in technology can be made, it's important to be aware of how data communications have evolved over the years.

Over the years, data communication has grown from a simple wired connection to a global and societal necessity. In 1837, Samuel Morse's invention of the telegraph began the history of data communication. This once remarkable invention sent signals over a series of wires from place to place. The Great Western Railroad adopted the telegraph service in 1843. This allowed the telegraph service to expand across the United States.

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell improved the telegraph with the introduction of the telephone. It wasn't until 100 years later that telephone lines were able to traffic data. However, Bell's invention laid the groundwork for future data communication inventions. In 1958, the U.S. government improved these technological advancements by launching satellites that were communication-oriented. These paved the path for further global communications.

Within the following decades, data communications expanded to computer connections. More than 1 million servers were using Internet Protocol technology by 1991. The World Wide Web had also become the primary component of the Internet. As years passed, the Internet revolutionized and become something that for years had seemed out of the realm of possibilities; wireless. Data communication had expanded to a whole new level. Technology continues to involve and is the revolving point of many societies today.