30 YEARS 30 TECHS

From analogue roots to digital dynamos, India's communication sector has shifted seismically, reshaping the digital realm and fuelling economic growth.

- PRATIMA HARIGUNANI

India has come a long way-indeed. There were many ignition points and new paths that made the country's communication technology landscape the way it is today. It is a journey of many beautiful, exciting, and path-breaking decades.

First, there were signal flares. Then pigeons-yes, a proper postal system that originated in Serbia and Persia. Then, papyrus rolls. Then, the 17th-century semaphore lines. Then, the 18th-century first transAtlantic telegraph cable. From one thing to another, from Joseph Henry's electric telegraph to Lee De Forest's radio, from Morse Code to the walkie-talkie, to Bell's telephone and Marconi's first wireless communication over the sea-the story of communication has undergone many twists, turns, flips, and somersaults.

India's story is no different. Just a few decades back, the Baby Boomers would painstakingly wait for a trunk call to connect. And today, Generation Alpha will not forgive even a nanosecond delay for an app to pop into action.

Here's a quick overview of 30 technologies that have shaped India's telecom landscape in the last three decades and a glance at how far we have come.

#1 PCO

Ah! Those yellow boxes of Narnia's land. You walk into one and then get immersed in a much-deserved call-just by dropping a few coins in the slot. These Public Call Offices or PCO booths were a respite to many Indians who wanted to make local calls. They supplemented the DoT's International Subscriber Dialling (ISD) and Subscriber's Trunk Dialling (STD) in a good way by being accessible and affordable to the last mile and remote parts. The owners of these booths worked on a revenue-share and commission system. With the advent of landlines, cell phones, and the Internet, their presence and use dropped significantly. As of a 2022 report from TRAI, there was a drop in all states seen in various BSNL and MTNL PCOS, with a total dip of 12.14% to 50,188 PCOS.

#2 INTERNET