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The Telephones Portal ๐ Image
A telephone, commonly shortened to phone, is a telecommunications device that enables two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into electronic signals that are transmitted via cables and other communication channels to another telephone which reproduces the sound to the receiving user. The term is derived from Ancient Greek: ฯแฟฮปฮต, romanized: tฤle, lit.โ'far' and ฯฯฮฝฮฎ (phลnฤ, voice), together meaning distant voice.
In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be granted a United States patent for a device that produced clearly intelligible replication of the human voice at a second device. This instrument was further developed by many others, and became rapidly indispensable in business, government, and in households. (Full article...)
A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable wireless telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones (landline phones). This radio frequency link connects to the switching systems of a mobile phone operator, providing access to the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Modern mobile telephony relies on a cellular network architecture, which is why mobile phones are often referred to as 'cell phones' in North America. (Full article...)
A smartphone is a mobile device that combines the functionality of a traditional mobile phone with advanced computing capabilities. It typically has a touchscreen interface, allowing users to access a wide range of applications and services, such as web browsing, email, and social media, as well as multimedia playback and streaming. Smartphones have built-in cameras, GPS navigation, and support for various communication methods, including voice calls, text messaging, and internet-based messaging apps. Smartphones are distinguished from older-design feature phones by their more advanced hardware capabilities and extensive mobile operating systems, access to the internet, business applications, mobile payments, and multimedia functionality, including music, video, gaming, radio, and television. (Full article...)
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The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the aggregate of the world's telephone networks that are operated by national, regional, or local telephony operators. It provides infrastructure and services for public telephony. The PSTN consists of telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables interconnected by switching centers, such as central offices, network tandems, and international gateways, which allow telephone users to communicate with each other.
Originally a network of fixed-line analog telephone systems, the PSTN is now predominantly digital in its core network and includes terrestrial cellular, satellite, and landline systems. These interconnected networks enable global communication, allowing calls to be made to and from nearly any telephone worldwide. Many of these networks are progressively transitioning to Internet Protocol to carry their telephony traffic.
The technical operation of the PSTN adheres to the standards internationally promulgated by the ITU-T. These standards have their origins in the development of local telephone networks, primarily in the Bell System in the United States and in the networks of European ITU members. The E.164 standard provides a single global address space in the form of telephone numbers. The combination of the interconnected networks and a global telephone numbering plan allows telephones around the world to connect with each other. (Full article...)
Types of phones - show another
A secure telephone is a telephone that provides voice security in the form of end-to-end encryption for the telephone call, and in some cases also the mutual authentication of the call parties, protecting them against a man-in-the-middle attack. Concerns about massive growth of telephone tapping incidents led to growing demand for secure telephones.
The practical availability of secure telephones is restricted by several factors; notably politics, export issues, incompatibility between different products (the devices on each side of the call have to use the same protocol), and high (though recently decreasing) price of the devices. (Full article...)
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A busy signal (or busy tone or engaged tone) in telephony is an audible call-progress tone or audible signal to the calling party that indicates failure to complete the requested connection of that particular telephone call. (Full article...)
List articles
- Comparison of smartphones
- List of best-selling mobile phones
- List of countries by number of broadband Internet subscriptions
- List of countries by number of telephone lines in use
- List of countries by smartphone penetration
- List of country calling codes
- List of iPhone models
- List of mobile network operators
- List of mobile phone brands by country
- List of mobile phone generations
- List of telecommunications companies
Related portals
General images - show new batch
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Receiver schematic, c.1906 (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 2Innocenzo Manzetti considered the idea of a telephone in 1844 (from History of the telephone)Innocenzo Manzetti considered the idea of a telephone in 1844 (from History of the telephone)
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Top of cellular telephone tower (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 4Blackview A60 Andoid Go mobile phone smartphone cell phone showing the front-facing camera is put in notch display (from Smartphone)Blackview A60 Andoid Go mobile phone smartphone cell phone showing the front-facing camera is put in notch display (from Smartphone)
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Dupuis and Haug during a GSM meeting in Belgium, April 1992 (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 7Actor portraying Alexander Graham Bell in a 1932 silent film. Shows Bell's second telephone transmitter (microphone), invented 1876 and first displayed at the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia. (from History of the telephone)Actor portraying Alexander Graham Bell in a 1932 silent film. Shows Bell's second telephone transmitter (microphone), invented 1876 and first displayed at the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia. (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 8Reis's telephone around 1861, first device called telephone (from History of the telephone)Reis's telephone around 1861, first device called telephone (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 9A sign in the US restricting cell phone use to certain times of day (no cell phone use between 7:30โ9:00 am and 2:00โ4:15 pm) (from Mobile phone)A sign in the US restricting cell phone use to certain times of day (no cell phone use between 7:30โ9:00 am and 2:00โ4:15 pm) (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 10Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the invention of the telephone in 1876. (from History of the telephone)Alexander Graham Bell was awarded the first U.S. patent for the invention of the telephone in 1876. (from History of the telephone)
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Private conversation, 1910 (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 141917 wall telephone, open to show magneto and local battery (from History of the telephone)1917 wall telephone, open to show magneto and local battery (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 15A French Gower telephone of 1912 at the Musรฉe des Arts et Mรฉtiers in Paris (from History of the telephone)A French Gower telephone of 1912 at the Musรฉe des Arts et Mรฉtiers in Paris (from History of the telephone)
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Inserted memory and SIM cards (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 17"Device options" menu of Samsung Mobile's TouchWiz user interface as of 2013, accessed by holding the power button for a second (from Smartphone)"Device options" menu of Samsung Mobile's TouchWiz user interface as of 2013, accessed by holding the power button for a second (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 18The master telephone patent granted to Bell, 174465, March 7, 1876 (from History of the telephone)The master telephone patent granted to Bell, 174465, March 7, 1876 (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 19Martin Cooper of Motorola, shown here in a 2007 reenactment, made the first publicized handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC model on 3 April 1973. (from Mobile phone)Martin Cooper of Motorola, shown here in a 2007 reenactment, made the first publicized handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC model on 3 April 1973. (from Mobile phone)
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Typical mobile phone mini-SIM card (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 23Historical marker commemorating the first telephone central office in New York State (1878) (from History of the telephone)Historical marker commemorating the first telephone central office in New York State (1878) (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 24Replica of the telettrofono at Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci of Milan, Italy, invented by Antonio Meucci and credited by several sources as the first telephone. (from History of the telephone)Replica of the telettrofono at Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci of Milan, Italy, invented by Antonio Meucci and credited by several sources as the first telephone. (from History of the telephone)
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Active mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants (from Mobile phone)
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Apple iPhone smartphone (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 27Philipp Reis, 1861, constructed the first telephone, today called the Reis telephone. (from History of the telephone)Philipp Reis, 1861, constructed the first telephone, today called the Reis telephone. (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 28Smartphone with infrared transmitter on top for use as remote control (from Smartphone)Smartphone with infrared transmitter on top for use as remote control (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 29The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. In 1983, it became the first commercially available handheld cellular mobile phone. (from Mobile phone)The Motorola DynaTAC 8000X. In 1983, it became the first commercially available handheld cellular mobile phone. (from Mobile phone)
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Android smartphones (from Mobile phone)
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A 19th century acoustic tin can or "lovers' telephone" (from History of the telephone)
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Scrapped mobile phones (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 33Two decades of evolution of mobile phones, from a 1992 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus (from Mobile phone)Two decades of evolution of mobile phones, from a 1992 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 34Antonio Meucci, 1849, developing a voice-communication apparatus that several sources credit as the first telephone. (from History of the telephone)Antonio Meucci, 1849, developing a voice-communication apparatus that several sources credit as the first telephone. (from History of the telephone)
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1896 telephone (Sweden) (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 36A Nexus 6, an Android smartphone, displaying the Main Page of the English Wikipedia (from Smartphone)A Nexus 6, an Android smartphone, displaying the Main Page of the English Wikipedia (from Smartphone)
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A young woman speaking on a mobile phone in Copenhagen, 2025 (from Mobile phone)
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A New York City driver holding two phones (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 39Elisha Gray, 1876, designed a telephone using a water microphone in Highland Park, Illinois. (from History of the telephone)Elisha Gray, 1876, designed a telephone using a water microphone in Highland Park, Illinois. (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 40Cellular networks work by only reusing radio frequencies (in this example frequencies f1โf4) in non adjacent cells to avoid interference (from Mobile phone)Cellular networks work by only reusing radio frequencies (in this example frequencies f1โf4) in non adjacent cells to avoid interference (from Mobile phone)
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A smartphone touchscreen (from Smartphone)
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Mobile payment system. (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 43 Bell prototype telephone stamp Centennial Issue of 1976 (from History of the telephone)Bell prototype telephone stamp(from History of the telephone)
Centennial Issue of 1976 -
๐ Image 44A sign along Bellaire Boulevard in Southside Place, Texas (Greater Houston) states that using mobile phones while driving is prohibited from 7:30 am to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:15 pm. (from Smartphone)A sign along Bellaire Boulevard in Southside Place, Texas (Greater Houston) states that using mobile phones while driving is prohibited from 7:30 am to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 4:15 pm. (from Smartphone)
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A text message (SMS) (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 46Tooltip in Kiwi Browser, a Google Chromium derivative, reveals the full URL by hovering over the tab list using the stylus on a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. (from Smartphone)Tooltip in Kiwi Browser, a Google Chromium derivative, reveals the full URL by hovering over the tab list using the stylus on a Samsung Galaxy Note 4. (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 47Tivadar Puskรกs proposed the telephone switchboard exchange in 1876. (from History of the telephone)Tivadar Puskรกs proposed the telephone switchboard exchange in 1876. (from History of the telephone)
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A driver using two handheld mobile phones at once (from Mobile phone)
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๐ Image 49Thomas Edison invented the carbon microphone which produced a strong telephone signal. (from History of the telephone)Thomas Edison invented the carbon microphone which produced a strong telephone signal. (from History of the telephone)
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๐ Image 50A pedestrian looking down at their smartphone while crossing a road (from Mobile phone)A pedestrian looking down at their smartphone while crossing a road (from Mobile phone)
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Optical track pad sensor of an HTC Legend, 2010. (from Smartphone)
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๐ Image 52Mobile phone subscribers per 100 inhabitants. 2014 figure is estimated. (from Mobile phone)Mobile phone subscribers per 100 inhabitants. 2014 figure is estimated. (from Mobile phone)
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Mobile payment system (from Mobile phone)
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A user consulting a mapping app on a phone (from Smartphone)
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Personal Handy-phone System mobiles and modems, 1997โ2003 (from Mobile phone)
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Selected biography
Innocenzo Vincenzo Bartolomeo Luigi Carlo Manzetti (Italian pronunciation: [innoหtสษntsomanหdzetti]; 17 March 1826 โ 15 March 1877) was an Italian inventor born in Aosta. Following his primary school studies he went to the Jesuit-run Saint Bรฉnin Boarding School and then on to Turin where he was awarded a diploma in land surveying before returning to Aosta. (Full article...)
Selected images
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Wooden wall telephone with a hand-cranked magneto generator
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A Northern Electric telephone, model number N415H, circa 1950 (probably)
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Acoustic telephone ad, The Consolidated Telephone Co., Jersey City, New Jersey, 1886
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Android smartphones
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๐ Image 6A traditional North American rotary phone dial. The associative lettering was originally used for dialing named exchanges but was kept because it facilitated memorization of telephone numbers.A traditional North American rotary phone dial. The associative lettering was originally used for dialing named exchanges but was kept because it facilitated memorization of telephone numbers.
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๐ Image 7Emergency telephones, on the Paris-Bordeaux railway line, Saint-Saviol station, Vienne, FranceEmergency telephones, on the Paris-Bordeaux railway line, Saint-Saviol station, Vienne, France
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๐ Image 8Historical telephone with the German imperial eagle and the heraldic shield of the House of Hohenzollern dynasty; Vollmer's Mill, Seebach, Baden-Wรผrttemberg, GermanyHistorical telephone with the German imperial eagle and the heraldic shield of the House of Hohenzollern dynasty; Vollmer's Mill, Seebach, Baden-Wรผrttemberg, Germany
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Public telephone, Bucharest, Romania
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๐ Image 10Rotary dial telephone, probably from Belgium; the circuit diagram inside is in Dutch and FrenchRotary dial telephone, probably from Belgium; the circuit diagram inside is in Dutch and French
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๐ Image 11An example of a K6, the most common red telephone box model, photographed in London in 2012An example of a K6, the most common red telephone box model, photographed in London in 2012
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A Bell Canada payphone with digital display
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Telephone booth box art outside the Tower of London, 2012
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Mailbox and public telephone in Haรfurt, Germany
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Apple iPhones
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Automatic electric Rotary dial telephone
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A Funke + Huster telephone inside the Idrija Mine, Slovenia
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Landline call blocking in use
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๐ Image 21The AUTOVON was a worldwide American military telephone system that was built starting in 1963.The AUTOVON was a worldwide American military telephone system that was built starting in 1963.
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๐ Image 22A police box outside Earl's Court tube station in London, built in 1996 and based on the 1929 Gilbert Mackenzie Trench designA police box outside Earl's Court tube station in London, built in 1996 and based on the 1929 Gilbert Mackenzie Trench design
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๐ Image 24Track-side emergency brake and emergency telephones at the platform of the metro station Aspern Nord, Donaustadt, Vienna, AustriaTrack-side emergency brake and emergency telephones at the platform of the metro station Aspern Nord, Donaustadt, Vienna, Austria
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๐ Image 25Rotary dial telephone, probably from Belgium; the circuit diagram inside is in Dutch and FrenchRotary dial telephone, probably from Belgium; the circuit diagram inside is in Dutch and French
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A historic telephone booth in Skansen, Stockholm
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๐ Image 27Photograph of the interior of the Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, which is listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesPhotograph of the interior of the Prairie Grove Airlight Outdoor Telephone Booth in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
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A Western Electric candlestick phone from the 1920s
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