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Telephones

Telephones have come a long way from their humble origins. The owner of the original patent for the first telephone was Alexander Graham Bell. That is as much as can reliably be said about the invention of the telephone, because there were many inventors who contributed to it. In particular Elisha Gray claimed to have invented the telephone at the same time, or before Bell did.

Regardless of who invented it, the telephone has become an indispensable mode of communication in the modern world. Prior to its invention the telegraph was used to send long distance messages quickly. This required trained operators on both ends of the line, and was costly.

Perhaps the greatest revolution in the telephone industry since its inception was the invention of the cell phone. The concept is fairly straightforward. A phone- or cell transmits a signal to a cell tower, which can then send the signal to its intended recipient. Modern cellular technology makes use of both land phone lines and satellites to transmit calls.  

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