Dot-Dash to Dot.Com

Telecommunications is a major global industry, and this unique book chronicles the development of this complex technology from the electric telegraph to the Internet in a simple, accessible, and entertaining way. The book opens with the early years of the electric telegraph. The reader will learn how the Morse telegraph evolved into an international network that spanned the globe, starting with the development of international undersea cables, and the heroic attempts to lay a trans-Atlantic cable. The book describes the events that led to the invention of the telephone, and the subsequent disputes over who had really invented it. It takes a look at some of the most important applications that have appeared on the Internet, the mobile revolution, and ends with a discussion of future key developments in the telecommunications industry.

From the reviews:

“It serves as a primer for anyone with an interest or need to know about telecommunications. With its assumption of little technical knowledge, and bright writing style, Dot-Dash To Dot Com is perfect for a layman to read. … Dot-Dash To Dot Com strikes a thoughtful balance between the technical and human history. … I certainly enjoyed and learned from it.” (Bookbag, June, 2011)

“Wheen, an experienced UK-based telecommunications industry professional, presents a historical development of the telecommunications industry and demonstrates how inventions produced by the telecommunications revolution have changed the world. … explains how the Internet works and what lies ahead. The book reserves the more detailed technical discussions for the appendixes. Well illustrated, with an extensive glossary of terms used by the telecommunications industry at the end. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries.” (F. A. Cassara, Choice, Vol. 48 (10), June, 2011)

“Dot-Dash to Dot Com by Andrew Wheen … is extremely easy to get straight into due to the author’s interesting historical facts and entertaining anecdotes of events that occurred in the early days of telecommunications. … I would definitely recommend this book to anyone generally interested in scientific historical books or if studying a telecommunications course. I found it an extremely easy read, very informative, well laid out with lots of great photos, some in color.” (Hazel Jones, Engineering and Technology Magazine, Vol. 6 (3), March, 2011)

“Andrew Wheen has done an excellent job of making a potentially complex subject entertaining, informative and accessible. Communications technology is used by everyone, so the book is relevant to everybody … . More technical detail is presented in a comprehensive section of footnotes - so 2 bookmarks are useful - and even more technical matters reside in Appendices that might be the realm of theserious A level student or first year undergraduate. … If you use the telephone read this book.” (W. Duncan, Amazon, July, 2011)

Andrew Wheen has worked in the telecommunications field since 1982. He has held senior engineering and product management roles with major suppliers of telecommunications equipment and was one of the original architects of the Energis network in the United Kingdom (now Cable & Wireless). More recently, he has worked as a management consultant in the telecommunications and broadcasting industries. Dr. Wheen is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and is a Chartered Engineer. He is married with two children and lives near London.