printing telegraphy

communications

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

Printing telegraphy, also known as teleprinters, are devices that transmit and receive printed messages and data over telephone cables or radio systems. These machines became common in the 1920s, adapting typewriter technology for broader use by less-skilled operators.1

A teleprinter has a keyboard and a printer. Typing on the keyboard generates coded electrical pulses that are sent to a receiving teleprinter, which decodes the pulses and prints the message. Early teleprinters used the Baudot Code, but later versions adopted the ASCII code, allowing for faster transmission speeds. While teleprinters were once a primary means of communication, they have largely been replaced by computer terminals and fax machines.12

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telegraph
Printing telegraphs
In 1903 the British inventor Donald Murray, following the ideas of Baudot, devised a time-division multiplex system for the British Post Office. The transmitter used a typewriter keyboard that punched tape, and the receiver printed text. He modified the Baudot Code by assigning…
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In 1903 the British inventor Donald Murray, following the ideas of Baudot, devised a time-division multiplex system for the British Post Office. The transmitter used a typewriter keyboard that punched tape, and the receiver printed text. He modified the Baudot Code by assigning…
Read More