Explore objects reflecting major developments in how we communicate, including the BT Connected Earth collection, which comprises a wide range of telecommunications equipment.
Telecommunications
1999-2003
Philips "Savvy" (TCD128) mobile phone, manufactured by Philips, France, 1999-2003
1992-1994
Nokia 1011 mobile phone, manufactured by Nokia, Germany, 1992-1994. An example of the first mass produced phone to be available for use on the GSM digital mobile networks.
1875-1877
Early type of Bell transmitter with membrane diaphragm, invented by Alexander Graham Bell, made by Charles Williams Jr,, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 1875-1914. This is an exact replica of Bell's first telephone made in June 1875 and was made by the same maker, Charles Williams Jr. of Boston, whose name is stamped on the baseboard.
1998-2002
Alcatel One Touch Easy mobile phone, manufactured by Alcatel, Europe, 1998-2002
1879
Wall telephone with Edison chalk receiver, unknown maker, probably United States, 1879.
1993
'Rabbit' mobile telepoint telephone, made by Hutchison Personal Communications Limited, 1993
1925-1958
Replica of Bell's 1875 harmonic telegraph receiver, made by Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc, Albany, New York, United States, 1925-1958
Bosch 509e mobile phone, sold for exclusive use on the Orange network, manufactured by Bosch, Denmark, 1999-2003
1997-2001
Philips Cellnet 'Diga' TCD308 mobile phone, made by Philips, France, 1997. CN: VYP09902E04442
1878
Edison carbon button transmitter No. 32, invented by Thomas Edison, United States, 1878.
1901-1910
Strowger table pattern telephone, manufactured by the Automatic Electric Company, Chicago, United States, 1901-1910
1980-1990
BT Tone pager Motorola 3BMXB/1, made by Motorola, 1980-1990
1956
Sectioned submerged repeater for TAT-1 the first transatlantic telephone cable, designed at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill, made by Standard Telephones and Cables Limited, Woolwich, London, England, 1956
2000-2003
Siemens C35i WAP mobile phone, manufactured by Siemens, Germany, 2000-2003
1995
Motorola GSM flare mobile phone, type 6200, made by Motorola, British, 1995. Pack no. S4647BBBB
1860
Hughes typewriting telegraph instrument, unknown maker, 1860. Invented about 1855 by David E Hughes (1829/31-1900), US patent numbers, 14,917, 1856; 22,531, 1859 and 22,770, 1859; British patent number 938, 1858.
1997
STAR TAC mobile telephone by Motorola, Alencon Link, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 1997.
1925-1960
Section of a CB1 manual telephone exchange switchboard with positions for three operators, unknown maker, British, 1925-1960. In use at Enfield Telephone Exchange 22 July 1925 to 5 October 1960
1900-1910
Hull Corporation telephone, made by the Elektrisk Bureau, Oslo, Norway, 1900-1910
1959
Replica of Bell's 1876 'Centennial' telephone transmitter, made by Science Museum Workshops, South Kensington, London, England, 1959
1850
Alexander Bain's chemical telegraph, unknown maker, England, 1850. Includes key not shown on photograph.
1977
Jubilee telephone, made by the Post Office, Cwmbran, Wales, 1977. Balmoral blue telephone with separate bell housing. S/A 4271 FWB 77/1.
1991-2000
Sony CM-H333 mobile cellular telephone, made by Sony, probably Japan, 1991-2000
c.1934
Bakelite Type 232 telephone with Type 26 bellset and fuse, made in c.1934 and used in Horwich.
1999-2002
Motorola L7089 mobile phone, manufactured by Motorola, British, 1999-2002. The first tri-band model that could be used on GSM system in USA and Europe
Siemens S6 PCN P mobile phone, made by Siemens AG, Germany, 1998-2002. Serial Number: S30880-S1900-G140-1.
Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, intermediate type or shore portion, made by Submarine Cables Limited, Erith, London, England, 1956.
1880-1900
Wall telephone with Blake transmitter, unknown maker, possibly the United Telephone Company, British, 1880-1900
1958-1960
Ivory 706 telephone, made by the General Electric Company for the General Post Office, British, 1958-1960
2012
Mobile phone SIM card for use with MTN network in Cameroon, bought in Buea, Cameroon, 2012.
1996
Motorola International 8700 mobile phone, made by Motorola, 1996. Model no. SUF3839A,
1986
Technophone EXCELL PC105T mobile telephone, manufactured by Technophone Limited, Camberley, Surrey, England, 1986.
1992
Orbitel 901 mobile phone, manufactured by Orbitel, probably Basingstoke, Hampshire, England, 1992.
1980-2000
BT Message Master series 1200 pager, model 31D, made by British Telecom, Japan, 1980-2000. Black plastic pager with rectangular screen and two silver buttons plus clip, serial number 1212023. Phone number on the back: 930705007/7
1897-1898
Strowger step-by-step automatic telephone exchange switch, made by the Strowger Automatic Telephone Company, United States, 1897-1898
1989
Section of TAT-8 transatlantic optical fibre cable in display case, made by British Telecom International, British, 1989. Brass plaque inscribed:- 'Section of TAT-8- the first transatlantic optical fibre cable. Presented to the Science Museum, London, by Mr. Alan Jefferis, director, satellite and lines, British Telecom International, on 22nd March 1989'.
1892-1920
Magneto-ringing Ericsson telephone, mouthpiece chipped, two base supports missing, probably made by British L M Ericsson, British, 1892-1920
1936-1968
Post Office telephone kiosk No. 6, introduced in 1936, with crown motifs to top panels (the Queen's Crown of Scotland), designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott for the General Post Office, made by the Carron Company, Falkirk, Scotland, c.1971
Ericsson A1018s mobile phone, manufactured by Ericsson, Sweden, 1998-2002
1880-1950
Standard Morse key 1222, made for the General Post Office, unknown maker, British, 1880-1950
1870-1877
Copy of the receiver and alarm call of Schilling's electric telegraph, made by the British Telegraph Manufactory, London, England, 1870-1877. The original was made 1825-1830 by Baron P Schilling and was exhibited in the Loan Collection of Scientific Apparatus in 1876, lent by the Imperial Academy of Science St Petersburg, E.15 a to c - 1878. Vol.6 p.276, S.L.R.
c.1980
Ericofon Model 600 Type SR1007B telephone, made by Telefonaktiebolaget L. M. Ericsson, Sweden, c.1980.
1837
Cooke and Wheatstone's earliest (five-needle) telegraph, England, 1837.
1925
No. I.T. Morse tape printer, manufactured by Creed and Company Limited, Croydon, London, England, 1925
1925-1935
200 series dial telephone, black, dial marked with letters and numerals, unknown maker for the General Post Office, England, 1925-1935
1996-1998
Nokia 9000 Communicator mobile phone, c. 1996. Consists of: Phone, Li-ion battery, floppy disc and manual. The floppy disc and manual are in the object's technical file.
Mobile cellular telephone, 'Vodac', by Vodafone, Newbury, England, 1991-2000
Large 5-needle Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph, designed by William Cooke and Charles Wheatstone, England, 1837
1982
Two-tone green Trimphone with dial (tele 8772G), also known as a Phoenixphone, from the Snowdon Collection, manufactured for British Telecom, British, 1982
1863
Reis telephone transmitter, made by J W Arnold, Frankfurt, Germany, 1863
