One of the most popular methods of communication is the telephone. Using a phone, you can make real-time contact almost anywhere in the world. And with the invention of the cell phone, you don't have to be in one location in order to receive a phone call. Not only that, phones have so many more capabilities and features that allow a user to do so much more than simply talk.
History
The first telephone call was made on March 10, 1876, by Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the phone. He spoke the first words via telephone to his assistant, Thomas Watson. His words were, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." Bell was also the inventor of the photophone in 1880. This was the first wireless phone, and it transmitted sound on a beam of light instead of on electrical wires.
Types
There have been many different styles of telephones as they have developed over the years. Some styles of very early phones had hand-cranked generators. Some were made with only one opening for sound, in which a user alternated between listening through and speaking through the same hole. Rotary dial phones were patented in 1923 and were the standard until the invention of the touch-tone phone in the 1960s. Pulse dialing phones, which had push buttons but operated on pulses that mimicked the rotary dial were also popular. Most phones today operate on the touch-tone system.
Identification
Telephone service has many features that give the user options and lots of flexibility. There is Caller ID, which allows an individual to see who is calling before he chooses to answer the call. There is Call Waiting, which allows a user to put a party on hold in order to answer an incoming call that is received during a conversation. There is Call Forwarding, which allows you to have calls directed to your phone number sent to a phone other than your own. There is also voicemail service, which allows a person to leave a message for you if you are not able to answer her call. Some users choose to connect an answering machine to their phone instead to receive their messages. Most of these special features can be used directly from the phone itself.
Benefits
Most of the above-named features are found on both land-line and cellular phones. However, cell phones offer a user even more features and flexibility. Users can talk from virtually anywhere, so long as they have a charged phone and active phone service in an area with good reception. In addition, cell phone users can send text messages to communicate without talking. Many phones, particularly "smart phones," allow a user to access the Internet, download or listen to music, play games, keep and maintain schedules, set alarms and much more. The cell phone can be used as an essential tool and an entertainment device, in addition to being a very convenient way to talk to others.
Benefits
Phone lines can also be used to send information via a messaging system called facsimile. More easily referred to as a fax, this technology scans a document and sends it across a telephone line to another fax machine. In addition, phone lines can be used in order to access the Internet through dial-up and DSL service. Conversely, one can use high-speed access to obtain phone service called VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol..
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