The Computer Modem

In 1958, researchers at Bell Telephone Labs invent the modem, a device that converts data from computers to the phone line and back again. This switching of digital to analog makes computer networks possible. At the time there was a desire to connect to distant  computers, and the obvious choice was to use the existing phone network. The original equipment ran at a paltry 1,000 bits per second and was offered as a commercial service. During the 1960s, modem technology would move swiftly, bringing ever-increasing speeds and reliability.