Telephone vs. Telegraph — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 18, 2023
A telephone is a device that allows for real-time, two-way voice communication over long distances. A telegraph is an older technology that transmits text-based messages over wire, usually requiring translation from coded signals.
Difference Between Telephone and Telegraph
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A telephone is a communication device that enables two-way voice communication between people who are far apart. It uses electrical signals to transmit sound and allows for real-time conversations. A telegraph, on the other hand, is an older technology that was used to send coded messages over long distances using electrical impulses.
The telephone has become an indispensable part of modern life, allowing for immediate communication and even video interaction. The telegraph has mostly been phased out, with its services replaced by telephones, fax machines, and Internet-based technologies. While the telephone offers the convenience of vocal nuance and immediate back-and-forth dialogue, the telegraph was used for brief and urgent messages, often in situations where a telephone was not available.
One significant difference between the telephone and the telegraph is the medium of communication. The telephone relies on voice and may include video, making it more personal and multi-dimensional. The telegraph, however, uses text as its medium, often requiring an operator to translate Morse code into written language.
While telephones are usually straightforward to use, requiring only the dialing of a number, using a telegraph needed specialized knowledge. An operator would need to know Morse code to send and receive messages. Unlike the telephone, which became a household item, the telegraph was more often located in special offices and was used for more official and urgent communication.
Comparison Chart
Medium
Voice (and sometimes video)
Text-based
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Immediacy
Real-time
Delayed
Complexity
User-friendly
Requires specialized knowledge
Usage
Personal & professional
Mostly professional/official
Obsolescence
Currently used
Mostly obsolete
Compare with Definitions
Telephone
An apparatus that converts sound into electrical signals for transmission.
The telephone has revolutionized long-distance communication.
Telegraph
A device used to convert text into Morse code for transmission.
Telegraph operators were well-versed in Morse code.
Telephone
A means of conducting audio conversations across distances.
The telephone rang, interrupting their meeting.
Telegraph
A means of communication primarily used for urgent or official messages.
A telegraph message announced the end of the war.
Telephone
A telephone is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most efficiently the human voice, into electronic signals that are transmitted via cables and other communication channels to another telephone which reproduces the sound to the receiving user.
Telegraph
An outdated technology replaced by modern communication methods.
The telegraph has become a relic of the past.
Telephone
A device for real-time voice communication.
She called her mom using the telephone.
Telegraph
An apparatus for sending messages over long distances using electrical impulses.
He sent a telegram via the telegraph office.
Telephone
A device that can transmit and receive spoken messages.
The invention of the telephone changed the world.
Telegraph
A communications system that transmits and receives simple unmodulated electric impulses, especially one in which the transmission and reception stations are directly connected by wires.
Telephone
An instrument for simultaneously transmitting and receiving speech or other sounds over a distance by converting the sounds into signals that are sent to a similar instrument and converting them back into sounds.
Telegraph
A message transmitted by telegraph; a telegram.
Telephone
To make or try to make a telephone connection with; place a call to
Telephoned the police station.
Telegraph
To transmit (a message) by telegraph.
Telephone
To dial (a telephone number).
Telegraph
To send or convey a message to (a recipient) by telegraph.
Telephone
To transmit (a message, for example) by telephone
I telephoned that I was sick and could not come to work.
Telegraph
To make known (a feeling or an attitude, for example) by nonverbal means
Telegraphed her derision with a smirk.
Telephone
To engage in communication by telephone
She telephoned to invite us to the party.
Telegraph
To make known (an intended action, for example) in advance or unintentionally
By massing troops on the border, the enemy telegraphed its intended invasion to the target country.
Telephone
A telecommunication device (originally mechanical, and now electronic) used for two-way talking with another person (now often shortened to phone).
Telegraph
To send or transmit a telegram.
Telephone
The game of Chinese whispers.
Telegraph
(uncommon) telegraphy, any process for transmitting arbitrarily long messages over a long distance using a symbolic code.
Telephone
Chinese whispers; a situation in which an initial message has been distorted and misunderstood by being passed from person to person.
Telegraph
The electrical device gradually developed in the early 19th century to transmit messages using Morse code; the entire system used to transmit its messages including overhead lines and transoceanic cables.
The first message transmitted by telegraph in the WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT.
Telephone
(ambitransitive) To (attempt to) contact someone using a telephone.
Telegraph
(video games) A visible or audible cue that indicates to an opponent the action that a character is about to take.
Telephone
(transitive) To convey (a message) via telephone.
Telegraph
To use a telegraph.
Telephone
An instrument for reproducing sounds, especially articulate speech, at a distance.
Telegraph
(figurative) To clearly communicate to another nonverbally, whether by gesture, a change in attitude, or any other sign, especially unintentionally.
Her frown telegraphed her displeasure.
Telephone
To convey or announce by telephone.
Telegraph
An apparatus, or a process, for communicating intelligence rapidly between distant points, especially by means of preconcerted visible or audible signals representing words or ideas, or by means of words and signs, transmitted by electrical action.
Telephone
Electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds;
I talked to him on the telephone
Telegraph
To convey or announce by telegraph.
Telephone
Transmitting speech at a distance
Telegraph
Apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
Telephone
Get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone;
I tried to call you all night
Take two aspirin and call me in the morning
Telegraph
Send cables, wires, or telegrams
Telephone
An instrument used for two-way vocal interactions.
He picked up the telephone to answer the call.
Telegraph
A system for transmitting text-based messages via coded signals.
The telegraph was crucial for wartime communication.
Common Curiosities
Do I need special skills to use a Telephone?
Generally, no. Telephones are user-friendly and straightforward to use.
Is a Telephone used for real-time communication?
Yes, a telephone allows for real-time, two-way voice communication.
Is a Telegraph instant?
No, telegraph messages are usually not instant and require decoding.
What is a Telephone?
A telephone is a device that allows for real-time, two-way voice communication over long distances.
Do I need to know Morse code for using a Telegraph?
Yes, Morse code is often essential for sending and receiving telegraph messages.
Is a Telephone a household item?
Yes, telephones are common in both households and businesses.
Was the Telegraph used for casual communication?
Generally, no. The telegraph was mainly used for urgent or official messages.
What is a Telegraph?
A telegraph is an older technology for transmitting text-based messages via coded signals over long distances.
Can I send text messages with a Telephone?
Yes, modern telephones, especially cell phones, can send text messages.
Was the Telegraph commonly found in homes?
No, telegraph systems were typically located in special offices.
Does a Telegraph transmit voice?
No, a telegraph transmits text-based messages via coded signals.
Is the Telephone still in use?
Yes, the telephone is still widely used for personal and professional communication.
Can a Telephone transmit video?
Some modern telephones, especially smartphones, can also handle video calls.
Is the Telegraph still in use?
The telegraph is largely obsolete and has been replaced by newer technologies.
Did the Telephone replace the Telegraph?
The telephone is one of several technologies that contributed to the obsolescence of the telegraph.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
