Technologies

150 Years After the First Phone Call, We’re Still Looking for 1-on-1 Connections

I spoke to an AT&T archivist about Alexander Graham Bell’s famous transmission. Even though calls have changed, the reasons behind them are still the same.

My interview with William Caughlin, the head of AT&T Archives and History Center, started with an ironic twist. Our Microsoft Teams video call failed, so we ended up talking over the «regular» phone.

Perhaps «regular» isn’t entirely accurate, given the infrastructure. But it was fitting for the topic of our conversation: the very first phone call, which occurred exactly 150 years ago.

On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made a famous exclamation to his assistant: «Mr. Watson, come here, I want you.» That sentence crossed a single copper wire to the next room. Though the technology that enabled the call has changed drastically over the past century and a half, the experience was fundamentally the same. Two people in two different locations were having a conversation — and seeking a connection — in real time.

Caughlin told me that Bell had been working on experiments for a year by then. But even though he was able to transmit speech sounds over copper wire in 1875, it was inarticulate. «Watson could hear noises, sounds, but he couldn’t really make out what Bell was saying. But Bell knew he was on the right path at that point,» Caughlin said.

Those experiments culminated on March 10, when the sounds became clear.

Read more: AT&T Says It’s Pumping $250 Billion Into New Infrastructure Improvements

Artifacts of the future

To celebrate the anniversary of that first transmission, AT&T created a pop-up exhibit at its Dallas headquarters, open to the public through Thursday, March 12.

Some notable artifacts on display from this day 150 years ago include the copper wire over which the message was sent, which in 1914 was wrapped in a loose spool and set behind glass. There’s also Thomas Watson’s notebook, where he recorded those historic first words.

«It’s one of the greatest treasures in our collection,» said Caughlin.

And with its red ribbon and official seal, the original March 7, 1876, patent for «Improvement in Telegraphy,» is said to be the most valuable patent ever granted.

The telephone occupied Bell’s attention for only a few years. Though it launched an industry, Bell was still tinkering elsewhere, according to Caughlin.

«He was a lifelong learner, a scientist, researcher, and even though he left the telephone business in 1878, he continued experimenting.»

Bell considered the «photophone» to be his greatest invention, said Caughlin. In 1880, Bell transmitted a human voice over a beam of light. It was a precursor to today’s fiber-optic cables, which essentially do the same thing: sending pulses of light through glass fibers across thousands of miles. Bell transmitted his voice using mirrors and a parabola receiver 1,300 feet away in another building. It required direct sunlight, but the voice was very clear.

Also in the archive is the original transistor that was invented by AT&T physicists John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, which Caughlin says is «the second greatest invention that ever came out of AT&T.»

It’s the technology that underlies most of the items on my desk and whatever device you’re reading this story on. «In your smartphone, you have something like 20 billion transistors,» Caughlin pointed out.

Its 1950 patent is also included in the collection.

Connections then and now

In that Boston lab in 1876, the network consisted of a copper wire running from Bell’s transmitter to the receiver Watson was using. Now, AT&T says it moves an exabyte (1 billion gigabytes, or the storage equivalent of nearly 4 million iPhone 17E smartphones) of data across its network every day.

Voice calls represent a small fraction of that traffic. The technology that connects our phones — 5G networks, fiber backbones, satellite calling — continues to evolve even as the number of calls remains a small portion of how we communicate. Nearly three times more texts than voice calls passed through AT&T’s network in 2025.

I, for one, will almost always prefer to chat via text rather than make a phone call, mostly for expediency.

But phone calls haven’t disappeared. If anything, they’ve morphed into a nuisance, given the barrage of scam calls and now impersonal AI-based customer service systems that get in the way of human connection. Today’s carriers and phone-makers are having to implement more aggressive filtering tools, though with mixed success.

And yet when I want to connect and focus my full attention on someone, a voice call or video call is the way to do it. And unlike days past, I can make a call from anywhere without worrying about long-distance charges. Heck, I don’t even need to memorize phone numbers anymore — I just tap one of my favorite contacts or ask the resident disembodied voice assistant to make the call for me.

Bell no doubt knew the importance of hearing someone’s voice, live, over the phone line. A century and a half later, through incredible advancements in telephony technology, that connection is still just as valuable.

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im