Communications in the United States

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Communications in the United States include extensive industries and distribution networks in print and telecommunication. The primary telecom regulator of communications in the United States is the Federal Communications Commission.

## History

[edit]

American inventors and entrepreneurs made substantial contributions to development and commercialization of the radio, telephone, and television. The Internet protocol suite was developed with U.S. government funding.

## Regulation

[edit]

See also: Copyright law of the United States, History of copyright law of the United States, Telecommunications policy of the United States, United States Department of State, Library of Congress, United States Copyright Office, Interstate Commerce Commission, Federal Radio Commission, and Federal Communications Commission

The FCC logo

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent government agency responsible for regulating the radio, television and phone industries. The FCC regulates all interstate communications, such as wire, satellite and cable, and international communications originating or terminating in the United States.

Significant laws in the history of U.S. telecommunications include:

* Wireless Ship Act of 1910, the first radio regulations
* Mann–Elkins Act of 1910, granting the Interstate Commerce Commission the power to regulate telephones, telegraphs, and wireless telegraphs
* Radio Act of 1912, the first to require radio licenses
* Radio Act of 1927, which created the Federal Radio Commission
* Communications Act of 1934, creating the FCC and moving phone and radio regulation there
* All-Channel Receiver Act (1962), requiring that televisions include UHF and not just VHF receivers
* Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, establishing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funded the creation of PBS and NPR
* Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, requiring carriage of local broadcast channels free of charge
* Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984, which gave municipalities the power to grant cable television monopolies
* Satellite Home Viewer Act (US) (1988)
* Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, which required telecom providers assist the government in authorized wiretapping
* Telecommunications Act of 1996, including the Communications Decency Act
* Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (1998)
* Digital Millennium Copyright Act (1998)
* Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act (1999), updating regulations for 9-1-1

Several laws relate to unsolicited commercial communications:

* Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
* CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
* Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005
* Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009

The FCC fairness doctrine regulation was in place from 1949 to 1987.

## Press

[edit]

Main articles: Newspapers in the United States, Books in the United States, Music of the United States, and Cinema of the United States

See also: Global spread of the printing press, Literacy in the United States § History, Early American publishers and printers, History of American journalism, History of American newspapers, History of photography, Photojournalism § History, History of sound recording, Phonograph, and History of film technology

The logo for The New York Times, an American newspaper.

Newspapers declined in their influence and penetration into American households in the late 20th century. Most newspapers are local, having little circulation outside their particular metropolitan area. The closest thing to a national paper the U.S. has is USA Today. Other influential dailies include The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal which are sold in most U.S. cities.

The largest newspapers (by circulation) in the United States are USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times.

## Mail

[edit]

Main articles: United States Post Office Department and United States Postal Service

See also: Telegraphy in the United States, Electrical telegraph, Timeline of North American telegraphy, American Letter Mail Company, Pony Express, First transcontinental telegraph, Transatlantic telegraph cable, U.S. Military Telegraph Corps, Signal Corps in the American Civil War, Typewriter, and Wirephoto

The legal monopoly of the government-owned United States Postal Service has narrowed during the 20th and 21st centuries due to competition from companies such as UPS & FedEx, although still delivers the vast majority of US mail.

## Telephone

[edit]

Main article: History of the telephone in the United States

See also: History of the telephone

In 1890, 1 percent of U.S. households owned at least one telephone while a majority did by 1946 and 75 percent did by 1957.[1][2]

Telephone system:
General assessment: A large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system.
Domestic: A large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country.
International: Country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000).

### Landlines

[edit]

Telephones - main lines in use: 141 million (2009)[3]

* Most of the American telephone system was formerly operated by a single monopoly, AT&T, which was divided in 1984 into a long-distance telephone company and seven regional "Baby Bells".
* Landline telephone service continues to be divided between incumbent local exchange carriers and several competing long-distance companies. As of 2005, some of the Baby Bells are beginning to merge with long-distance phone companies. A small number of consumers are currently experimenting with Voice over Internet Protocol phone service.
* Most local loop service to homes is provided through old-fashioned copper wire, although many of the providers have upgraded the so-called "last mile" to fiber optic.
* Early in the 21st century the number of wire lines in use stopped growing and in some markets began to decline.[4]

### Cellular/Wireless communication

[edit]

Telephones - mobile cellular: 286 million (2009)[3]

* Most states have several competing cellular phone networks.
* The major cellphone companies in the U.S. are Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, and T-Mobile US.

## Radio

[edit]

Main article: Radio in the United States

See also: History of radio, FM broadcasting in the United States, Wireless telegraphy, Satellite radio, Internet radio, and Digital radio

In 1923, 1 percent of U.S. households owned at least one radio receiver while a majority did by 1931 and 75 percent did by 1937.[2][5]

Radio broadcast stations: AM: 4,669; FM commercial stations: 6,746; FM educational stations: 4,101; FM translators & boosters: 7,253; low-power FM stations: 1,678 (as of December 31, 2016, according to the Federal Communications Commission)

* Most broadcast stations are controlled by large media conglomerates like iHeartMedia. There are also many small independent local stations. National Public Radio (NPR) is the public radio network.

Radios: 575 million (1997)

## Television

[edit]

Main article: Television in the United States

See also: History of television, Cable television in the United States, Digital television in the United States, Digital television transition in the United States, High-definition television in the United States, Satellite television in the United States, Television news in the United States, and United States cable news

In 1948, 1 percent of U.S. households owned at least one television while 75 percent did by 1955,[2] and by 1992, 60 percent of all U.S. households received cable television subscriptions.[6] In 1980, 1 percent of U.S. households owned at least one videocassette recorder while 75 percent did by 1992.[2]

Television broadcast stations: 7,533 (of which 1,778 are full-power TV stations; 417 are class-A TV stations; 3,789 are TV translators; and 1,966 are other low-power TV stations) (as of December 31, 2016, according to the Federal Communications Commission); in addition, there are about 12,000 cable TV systems.

* Most local commercial television stations are owned-and-operated by or affiliated with the large national broadcast networks such as the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), CBS, the Fox Broadcasting Company (Fox), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), and The CW Television Network. Some television networks are aimed at ethnic minorities, including Spanish-language networks Univisión and Telemundo. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is the country's main public broadcasting network, with over 300 non-profit affiliated stations across the United States. Besides the large broadcast networks (which are free for anyone with a TV and an antenna), there are also many networks available only with a subscription to cable or satellite television, like CNN.

Televisions: 219 million (1997)

See also: List of United States broadcast television networks and List of United States cable and satellite television networks

## Internet

[edit]

Main article: Internet in the United States

In 1984, 8 percent of U.S. households owned at least one personal computer, while 18 percent of U.S. households had internet access in 1997.[7] In 2000, a majority of U.S. households owned at least one personal computer and had internet access the following year,[7] while more than 75 percent of U.S. households owned a personal computer by 2011 and had internet access by 2014.[8] By 2021, more than 95 percent of U.S. households owned a personal computer and 90 percent had internet access.[8]

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 7,600 (1999 est.)

* Because of aggressive lobbying and the United States' strong libertarian traditions, the Internet service provider industry remains relatively unregulated in comparison to other communications industries.

Country code (Top level domain): US

* For various historical reasons, the .us domain was never widely used outside of a small number of government agencies and school districts. Most companies signed up for top level domains like .com instead.
* NeuStar Inc. now has control over the .us registry and is trying to promote the domain as an option for American-oriented Web sites.

## See also

[edit]

* Television portal
* United States portal

* Big Three television networks
* Fourth television network
* List of television stations in the United States
* List of United States cable and satellite television networks
* List of United States over-the-air television networks
* List of United States television markets

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Putnam, Robert D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 167. ISBN 978-0684832838.
2. ^ a b c d Putnam, Robert D. (2000). Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 217. ISBN 978-0684832838.
3. ^ a b CIA World Fact Book, August 2009
4. ^ "Phone Giants Fight to Keep Subscribers (Published 2008)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-11-26.
5. ^ Craig, Steve (2004). "How America Adopted Radio: Demographic Differences in Set Ownership Reported in the 1930–1950 U.S. Censuses". Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. 48 (2). Routledge: 179–195\. doi:10.1207/s15506878jobem4802_2. S2CID 145186571.179-195&rft.date=2004&rft_id=info:doi/10.1207/s15506878jobem4802_2&rft_id=https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:145186571#id-name=S2CID&rft.aulast=Craig&rft.aufirst=Steve&rft_id=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233149747&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Communications+in+the+United+States" class="Z3988">
6. ^ "The Rise of Cable Television". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
7. ^ a b File, Thom (May 2013). Computer and Internet Use in the United States (PDF) (Report). Current Population Survey Reports. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
8. ^ a b Mejía, Daniela (2024). Computer and Internet Use in the United States: 2021 (PDF) (Report). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 13, 2025.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Sterling,Christopher H. et al. Shaping American Telecommunications A History of Technology, Policy, and Economics (2006) online

* v
* t
* e

Federal Communications Commission

* Brendan Carr (2017–)
* Geoffrey Starks (2019–)
* Nathan Simington (2020–)
* Anna M. Gomez (2023–)

Chairs|

* Eugene O. Sykes (1934–1935)
* Anning Smith Prall (1935–1937)
* Frank R. McNinch (1937–1939)
* James Lawrence Fly (1939–1944)
* E. K. Jett (1944)
* Paul A. Porter (1944–1946)
* Charles R. Denny (1946–1947)
* Paul A. Walker (1947)
* Wayne Coy (1947–1952)
* Paul A. Walker (1952–1953)
* Rosel H. Hyde (1953–1954)
* George McConnaughey (1954–1957)
* John C. Doerfer (1957–1960)
* Frederick W. Ford (1960–1961)
* Newton N. Minow (1961–1963)
* E. William Henry (1963–1966)
* Rosel H. Hyde (1966–1969)
* Dean Burch (1969–1974)
* Richard E. Wiley (1974–1977)
* Charles D. Ferris (1977–1981)
* Robert Lee (1981)
* Mark S. Fowler (1981–1987)
* Dennis R. Patrick (1987–1989)
* Alfred C. Sikes (1989–1993)
* James Henry Quello (1993)
* Reed Hundt (1993–1997)
* William Kennard (1997–2001)
* Michael Powell (2001–2005)
* Kevin Martin (2005–2009)
* Michael Copps (2009)
* Julius Genachowski (2009–2013)
* Mignon Clyburn (2013)
* Tom Wheeler (2013–2017)
* Ajit Pai (2017–2021)
* Jessica Rosenworcel (2021–2025)
* Brendan Carr (2025–)

Statutory
authority
(Title 47 USC)|

* Communications Act of 1934
* Brinkley Act
* All-Channel Receiver Act (1962)
* Communications Satellite Act of 1962
* Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
* Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984
* Satellite Home Viewer Act (1988)
* Children's Television Act (1990)
* Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
* Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992
* Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (1994)
* Telecommunications Act of 1996
* Communications Decency Act
* Section 230
* Child Online Protection Act (1998)
* Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act (1999)
* Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005
* Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005
* Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005
* Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006
* Short-term Analog Flash and Emergency Readiness Act (2008)
* Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009
* Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (2010)
* Local Community Radio Act (2010)
* Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010

Regulations
and policies
(Title 47 CFR)|

* Title 47 CFR Part 15
* Title 47 CFR Part 68
* Title 47 CFR Part 97

| Broadcast
licensing
and facilities|

* 1978 Broadcast Policy Statement on minority ownership
* 2008 United States wireless spectrum auction
* Ancillary Terrestrial Component
* Antenna structure registration
* AWS-3 auction
* Broadcast call signs
* Broadcast flag
* Broadcast license
* Broadcast range
* Broadcasting duopoly
* Carriage dispute
* City of license
* Class A television service
* Clear-channel station
* Comparative hearing
* Dark and silent stations
* Dispersal of ownership
* Facility ID
* FM Non-Duplication Rule (1964–1986)
* Frequency coordinator
* Local marketing agreement
* MVDDS
* dispute
* Program test authority
* Public file
* Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
* Reference distance
* Rimshot broadcasting
* Significantly viewed signals permitted to be carried
* Special temporary authority
* United States National Radio Quiet Zone
* White spaces

|

Broadcasting
content and
programming|

* Actionable indecency
* Broadcasting watershed
* Emergency Alert System
* Equal-time rule
* Family Viewing Hour
* Fairness doctrine (1949–1987)
* Financial Interest and Syndication Rules (1970–1993)
* Fleeting expletive
* Government-access television
* Mayflower doctrine (1941–1949)
* Must-carry
* Non-commercial educational station
* Personal attack rule
* Pervasiveness doctrine
* Prime Time Access Rule
* Public-access television
* Retransmission consent
* Seven dirty words
* Syndication exclusivity
* Zapple doctrine (1970–2014)

Telephone and
the Internet|

* Carterfone decision
* Common carrier
* Comparably efficient interconnection
* Competitive local exchange carrier
* Emergency telephone number
* Enhanced 911
* FCC Computer Inquiries
* Second Computer Inquiry
* FCC mark
* FCC registration program
* Feature group
* FCC Open Internet Order
* Incumbent local exchange carrier
* Lifeline program
* National Broadband Plan
* National Do Not Call Registry
* Personal Communications Service
* Basic Trading Areas
* Telecommunications Service Priority
* Priority level
* Total element long run incremental cost
* Traffic pumping
* Universal Licensing System
* Universal Service Fund
* E-Rate

Litigation|

| Supreme Court|

* FCC v. Sanders Brothers Radio Station (1940)
* National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943)
* United States v. Southwestern Cable Co. (1968)
* Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC (1969)
* FCC v. Pacifica Foundation (1978)
* CBS, Inc. v. FCC (1981)
* Sable Communications of California v. FCC (1989)
* Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC (1990)
* Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. FCC (1994)
* Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2002)
* Nixon v. Missouri Municipal League (2004)
* National Cable & Telecommunications Ass'n v. Brand X Internet Services (2005)
* FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2009)
* FCC v. AT&T Inc. (2011)
* FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc. (2012)
* FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project (2021)

|

Other
federal cases|

* Hush-A-Phone Corp. v. United States (1956)
* American Radio Relay League, Inc. v. FCC (1980)
* Schurz Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1992)
* Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod v. FCC (1998)
* SBC Communications, Inc. v. FCC (1998)
* Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Ass'n v. FCC (2001)
* United States Telecom Association v. FCC (2004)
* Comcast Corp. v. FCC (2010)
* Verizon Communications Inc. v. FCC (2014)
* Tennessee v. FCC (2016)
* Mozilla Corp. v. FCC (2019)
* Prometheus Radio Project v. FCC (2019)
* Consumers' Research v. FCC (2023)

Agency
publications|

* Report on Chain Broadcasting (1941)
* Blue Book (1946)
* FCC Record (1986–)

Advisory
committees|

* FCC Network Study Committee
* Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Telecommunications Services
* North American Numbering Council
* Spectrum Task Force
* Technical Advisory Council

Predecessor
agencies|

* Interstate Commerce Commission
* Mann–Elkins Act
* Radio Act of 1912
* Kingsbury Commitment
* Willis Graham Act
* Federal Radio Commission
* Radio Act of 1927
* Davis Amendment
* General Order 32
* General Order 40
* Grand Island FCC Monitoring Station

Related|

* AllVid
* Broadband.gov
* Broadcasting in the United States
* Radio
* FM broadcasting
* Television
* Cable television
* Digital television
* Digital television transition
* High-definition television
* Satellite television
* Communications in the United States
* "FCC Song"
* Federal Communications Bar Association
* History of the telephone in the United States
* Howard Stern Show fines
* Internet in the United States
* Media cross-ownership in the United States
* Modem tax
* National Exchange Carrier Association
* Net neutrality in the United States
* Open spectrum
* "PTV"
* RM-2493
* Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids
* Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
* Telecommunications policy of the United States
* Telegraphy in the United States
* "Television and the Public Interest"
* Wireless Ship Act of 1910

* v
* t
* e

United States landline telephone companies

* Alaska Communications
* AT&T
* Brightspeed
* Cincinnati Bell
* Hawaiian Telcom
* Claro Puerto Rico
* Consolidated Communications
* Emery Telcom
* Frontier Communications
* GCI
* GTA Teleguam
* Lumen Technologies
* TDS Telecom
* Verizon Communications
* Windstream Communications
* Ziply Fiber

* v
* t
* e

Internet service providers of the United States

Cable ISP|

* Adams Cable
* Altice USA
* Armstrong
* Astound Broadband
* Blue Ridge Communications
* Blue Stream
* Breezeline
* Broadstripe
* Buckeye Broadband
* Cable One
* Charter Spectrum
* Consolidated Communications
* Cox Communications
* Docomo Pacific
* Emery Telcom
* Full Channel
* GCI
* Hargray
* Mediacom
* Midco
* Northland Communications
* OneLink Communications
* Satview Broadband
* Service Electric
* Shentel
* SRT Communications
* TDS Telecom
* TruVista Communications
* WOW!
* Xfinity

Fiber ISP|

* Astound Broadband
* AT&T Fiber
* Cincinnati Bell Fioptics
* Hawaiian Telcom
* Claro
* Consolidated Communications
* EPB
* Frontier Fiber
* Google Fiber
* Greenlight Networks
* GTA Teleguam
* Lumen Technologies
* Midco
* NEP Telephone
* Phonoscope Communications
* Sonic.net
* Stealth Communications
* TDS Telecom
* Ting Inc.
* Verizon FiOS
* Windstream
* Ziply Fiber

Copper / DSL ISP|

* Astound Broadband
* AT&T Internet
* CenturyLink
* Consolidated Communications
* EarthLink
* Frontier Communications
* T-Internet
* TDS Telecom
* Verizon
* Windstream
* Ziply Fiber

Satellite ISP|

* HughsNet
* Starlink
* Viasat

Defunct ISP|

* AGIS
* ANS
* Boston CitiNet
* ATMNet
* @Home
* Prodigy
* Pure Talk
* Texas.net
* WorldWide Access

* v
* t
* e

Television in the United States

Stations and networks|

* Over-the-air television networks
* ABC
* CBS
* NBC
* Fox
* Stations
* Cable and satellite
* Networks
* High-definition
* Channels

Awards and events|

* Emmy Awards
* Primetime
* Daytime
* Children's & Family
* International
* Sports
* News & Documentary
* Technology & Engineering
* Sylvania Award
* Directors Guild of America Awards
* Producers Guild of America Awards
* Writers Guild of America Awards
* Golden Globes
* Screen Actors Guild Awards
* TCA Awards
* Critics' Choice TV Award
* Peabody Awards
* People's Choice Awards
* NAACP Image Awards
* Eddie Awards
* Artios Awards
* American Society of Cinematographers Awards
* Humanitas Prize
* ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards
* Hugo Awards
* Visual Effects Society Awards
* Golden Reel Award
* GLAAD Media Awards
* MTV Movie & TV Awards
* MTV Fandom Awards

Organizations|

* Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
* Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
* American Society of Cinematographers
* Directors Guild of America
* Federal Communications Commission
* Motion Picture Association
* National Association of Broadcasters
* National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
* National Cable & Telecommunications Association
* Paley Center for Media
* Producers Guild of America
* SAG-AFTRA
* Writers Guild of America, East
* Writers Guild of America, West

History|

* Prewar broadcasting
* Golden Age
* Network era
* Multi-channel transition
* New Golden Age
* Post-network era
* Streaming wars
* History by decade

* v
* t
* e

Telecommunications in the Americas

Sovereign
states|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* Dominica
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Grenada
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Dependencies
and territories|

* Anguilla
* Aruba
* Bermuda
* Bonaire
* British Virgin Islands
* Cayman Islands
* Curaçao
* Falkland Islands
* French Guiana
* Greenland
* Guadeloupe
* Martinique
* Montserrat
* Puerto Rico
* Saba
* Saint Barthélemy
* Saint Martin
* Saint Pierre and Miquelon
* Sint Eustatius
* Sint Maarten
* South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
* Turks and Caicos Islands
* U.S. Virgin Islands

* North America
* Central America
* Caribbean
*   *   *   * South America

* v
* t
* e

Telecommunications

History|

* Beacon
* Broadcasting
* Cable protection system
* Cable TV
* Communications satellite
* Computer network
* Data compression
* audio
* DCT
* image
* video
* Digital media
* Internet video
* online video platform
* social media
* streaming
* Drums
* Edholm's law
* Electrical telegraph
* Fax
* Heliographs
* Hydraulic telegraph
* Information Age
* Information revolution
* Internet
* Mass media
* Mobile phone
* Smartphone
* Optical telecommunication
* Optical telegraphy
* Pager
* Photophone
* Prepaid mobile phone
* Radio
* Radiotelephone
* Satellite communications
* Semaphore
* Phryctoria
* Semiconductor
* device
* MOSFET
* transistor
* Smoke signals
* Telecommunications history
* Telautograph
* Telegraphy
* Teleprinter (teletype)
* Telephone
* The Telephone Cases
* Television
* digital
* streaming
* Undersea telegraph line
* Videotelephony
* Whistled language
* Wireless revolution

Pioneers|

* Nasir Ahmed
* Edwin Howard Armstrong
* Mohamed M. Atalla
* John Logie Baird
* Paul Baran
* John Bardeen
* Alexander Graham Bell
* Emile Berliner
* Tim Berners-Lee
* Francis Blake
* Jagadish Chandra Bose
* Charles Bourseul
* Walter Houser Brattain
* Vint Cerf
* Claude Chappe
* Yogen Dalal
* Donald Davies
* Daniel Davis Jr.
* Amos Dolbear
* Thomas Edison
* Philo Farnsworth
* Reginald Fessenden
* Lee de Forest
* Elisha Gray
* Oliver Heaviside
* Robert Hooke
* Erna Schneider Hoover
* Harold Hopkins
* Gardiner Greene Hubbard
* Bob Kahn
* Dawon Kahng
* Charles K. Kao
* Narinder Singh Kapany
* Hedy Lamarr
* Roberto Landell
* Innocenzo Manzetti
* Guglielmo Marconi
* Robert Metcalfe
* Antonio Meucci
* Samuel Morse
* Jun-ichi Nishizawa
* Charles Grafton Page
* Radia Perlman
* Alexander Stepanovich Popov
* Tivadar Puskás
* Johann Philipp Reis
* Claude Shannon
* Almon Brown Strowger
* Henry Sutton
* Charles Sumner Tainter
* Nikola Tesla
* Camille Tissot
* Alfred Vail
* Thomas A. Watson
* Charles Wheatstone
* Vladimir K. Zworykin
* Internet pioneers

Transmission
media|

* Coaxial cable
* Fiber-optic communication
* optical fiber
* Free-space optical communication
* Molecular communication
* Radio waves
* wireless
* Transmission line
* telecommunication circuit

Network topology
and switching|

* Bandwidth
* Links
* Network switching
* circuit
* packet
* Nodes
* terminal
* Telephone exchange

Multiplexing|

* Space-division
* Frequency-division
* Time-division
* Polarization-division
* Orbital angular-momentum
* Code-division

Concepts|

* Communication protocol
* Computer network
* Data transmission
* Store and forward
* Telecommunications equipment

Types of network|

* Cellular network
* Ethernet
* ISDN
* LAN
* Mobile
* NGN
* Public Switched Telephone
* Radio
* Television
* Telex
* UUCP
* WAN
* Wireless network

Notable networks|

* ARPANET
* BITNET
* CYCLADES
* FidoNet
* Internet
* Internet2
* JANET
* NPL network
* Toasternet
* Usenet

Locations|

* Africa
* Americas
* North
* South
* Antarctica
* Asia
* Europe
* Oceania
* Global telecommunications regulation bodies

* Telecommunication portal
* Category
* Outline
* Commons

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*[e]: Edit this template