150 years ago, nine words changed the world

Why the telephone is the most important technology you've stopped thinking about.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:30pm

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On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first words ever transmitted by telephone, saying "Mr. Watson - Come here - I want to see you." This simple act launched a revolution in how humans connect, leading to the explosive growth of mobile phones and their transformative impact, especially in the developing world.

Why it matters

The telephone, and later mobile phones, have had an immense impact on the world, connecting billions of people, lifting millions out of poverty, and creating economic opportunity on a massive scale. While the rise of smartphones has raised concerns about mental health and technology addiction, the benefits of mobile connectivity for the global poor are often overlooked.

The details

Bell's initial telephone call was made through a crude device using a vibrating wire dipped in acid water to convert sound to electricity. By 1880, there were 130,000 phones in the US, growing to 1.4 million by 1900 and nearly 6 million by 1910. The telephone quickly became indispensable, with New York City seeing a spike in phone traffic during the 1918 flu pandemic. However, the most important telephone story is the explosive growth of mobile phones in the developing world, which allowed billions to leapfrog the landline era. Sub-Saharan Africa went from 2 mobile subscriptions per 100 people in 2000 to 89 by 2023, transforming sectors like finance, healthcare, and agriculture.

  • On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell spoke the first words ever transmitted by telephone.
  • By around 1880, there were roughly 130,000 phones in the United States.
  • By 1900, there were 1.4 million phones in the United States.
  • By 1910, there were nearly 6 million phones in the United States.
  • As of 2000, all of sub-Saharan Africa had fewer telephone lines than Manhattan, with roughly 1.6 landline connections per 100 people.

The players

Alexander Graham Bell

A 29-year-old Scottish immigrant who invented the telephone and spoke the first words ever transmitted by telephone on March 10, 1876.

Thomas Watson

A 22-year-old mechanic who was Bell's assistant and came running when Bell spoke the first words over the telephone.

Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil

Reportedly exclaimed "My God, it talks!" when he demonstrated the telephone at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia.

Tavneet Suri

An economist who co-authored a landmark 2016 study on how the mobile money system M-Pesa lifted an estimated 194,000 Kenyan households out of extreme poverty.

William Jack

An economist who co-authored a landmark 2016 study on how the mobile money system M-Pesa lifted an estimated 194,000 Kenyan households out of extreme poverty.

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What they’re saying

“My God, it talks!”

— Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil

“Less than forty years ago the telephone was an amusing toy … Now, nobody can understand how we lived without it.”

— New York Times editorial (New York Times)

The takeaway

Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone 150 years ago has had a profound and lasting impact, connecting billions of people around the world and transforming sectors like finance, healthcare, and agriculture, especially in the developing world. While the rise of smartphones has raised concerns, the benefits of mobile connectivity for the global poor are often overlooked.