Telecommunications in Colorado
2011–
You've seen how telecommunications changes our lives and our world.
| Local Message | Long Distance Message | |
|---|---|---|
| Early to Mid-1800s |
Runners Newspapers |
U.S. to Europe—4–6 weeks Stage coach—20 days St. Louis to Sacramento Pony Express—10 days Telegraph (U.S.)—1–3 days |
| Late 1800s to Early 1900s | Operator assisted—several minutes | Operator assisted—several hours |
| Early 1900s to 1980 | Direct dial from stationary phone--instant | Direct dial from stationary phone—usually instant |
| 1980s to Now | Cell phones from anywhere—instant for written, spoken, video | Cell phones worldwide— instant for written, spoken, video |
Birth and Growth of Telecommunications
- 1843 - Samuel Morse invents telegraph
- 1876 - Alexander Graham Bell invents telephone
- 1879 - 1st Colorado telephone system
- 1889 - automatic dial system invented
- 1906 - 1st vacuum tube
- 1911 - long-distance phone service New York to Denver
- 1915 - coast-to-coast phone service established
- 1929 - 1st Colorado mechanical switch
- 1953 - 1st Colorado cable system built in Trinidad
- 1975 - Microsoft founded
- 1976 - 1st Apple computer comes to market
- 1979 - 1st nation-wide cell network built in Japan
- 1981 - Internet protocol adopted
- 1984 - Bell System breakup
- 1994 - VOIP phone service
- 1999 - 1st cable phone service trial
- 2002 - 1st text message
- 2004 - Facebook founded
- 2007 - iPhone invented
It's Happening Now
In April 2011 CenturyLink merged with Qwest to form the third-largest traditional telephone company in the nation. The 14 states served by Qwest are seeing changes as CenturyLink introduces itself to new customers. CenturyLink had been serving some rural areas of Colorado and now will serve urban areas as well.
In April 2011 CenturyLink merged with Qwest to form the third-largest traditional telephone company in the nation. The 14 states served by Qwest are seeing changes as CenturyLink introduces itself to new customers. CenturyLink had been serving some rural areas of Colorado and now will serve urban areas as well.
What's Next?
Understanding the past helps us see the future.
Imagine inventing a new way for thoughts to fly.
You enjoy sharing your thoughts many different ways. Will you be the inventor who creates new ways for people to share their thoughts?
You enjoy sharing your thoughts many different ways. Will you be the inventor who creates new ways for people to share their thoughts?
This exhibit created by:
We are a non-profit 501( c ) 3 headquartered in Denver with a branch in Seattle, WA. We hope the exhibit has helped you understand how telecommunications changes our lives and our world. We appreciate the support that Qwest, and its predecessor USWest, provided to our organization over the years. Learn more about us at: www.telcomhistory.org
Our thanks to the Western History Department of Denver Public Library for hosting this exhibit. We also thank the Cherry Creek Sprint Store for the display of an HTC EVO ShiftTM 4G and the Cable Center, AT&T Archives, and Roach Photo, Inc., for research support and photographs.
We are a non-profit 501( c ) 3 headquartered in Denver with a branch in Seattle, WA. We hope the exhibit has helped you understand how telecommunications changes our lives and our world. We appreciate the support that Qwest, and its predecessor USWest, provided to our organization over the years. Learn more about us at: www.telcomhistory.org
Our thanks to the Western History Department of Denver Public Library for hosting this exhibit. We also thank the Cherry Creek Sprint Store for the display of an HTC EVO ShiftTM 4G and the Cable Center, AT&T Archives, and Roach Photo, Inc., for research support and photographs.
Thank you to the sponsors of this exhibit:
Online Exhibits
Telecommunications in Colorado
Allen Tupper True Mural, The Wings of Thought (THG file photo)
Throughout history, human beings have had an innate desire to communicate. This exhibit features a timeline from face-to-face communications of the mid-19th century to today’s instant, global communications, and invites the viewer to imagine what it must have been like to wait weeks or months for news from back home.
Using Allen True’s Wings of Thought mural as a motif, the exhibit highlights documents, directories, and photographs from Telecommunications History Group archives. This online exhibit is based on a 2011 THG exhibit at the Denver Public Library.
Note: Because the exhibit is based on a physical original, it doesn't currently work on a mobile phone in portrait mode (and will look very small in landscape as well). Please view on a tablet or larger device. We're working to get a version of this exhibit to be mobile-friendly.