by Athirah Sofea
Did you know that World Telecommunications and Information Society Day is celebrated on May 17 every year?
Consider for a moment the importance of communication in our daily activities and imagine how life would be without it. Whether it is calling our loved ones and colleagues, sending important emails to customers and business partners, or connecting with friends on social media – telecommunication is an integral solution that enables us to communicate freely and seamlessly.
World Telecommunications Day marks the constant evolution of communications technology, highlighting the possibilities of technology in our daily lives and ways to bridge the digital divide. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the incredible technologies and innovations that have transformed the way we communicate and connect with one another.
Below, we have listed some interesting history about telecommunications, as well as top facts on our very own telecommunication arm, Yes!
1. The date of May 17 commemorates the founding of the International Telecommunication Union, which was actively involved in all the great breakthroughs in communications including:
- the invention of the telephone in 1876
- the launch of the first satellite in 1957
- the birth of the Internet in the 60s
2. The world’s first text message, later known as a short message service or SMS, was sent on December 3, 1992 by Neil Papworth, a software engineer in the UK. The message was simply “Merry Christmas”.
3. The world’s first voice-over-IP (VoIP) service was introduced in 1995 by VocalTec. It allowed users to make voice calls over the internet, which paved the way for modern VoIP services like Skype and Zoom.
4. The nostalgic Nokia beeping tone that announces the arrival of an SMS on mobile phones is based on Morse Code. The tone is composed of a sequence of short and long beeps that correspond to the letters S-M-S in Morse Code. Specifically, the beeps correspond to three dots, three dashes, and three more dots, which represent the letters S, M, and S respectively.
5. The smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of long-distance communication. It is a form of visual communication used over a long distance.
6. Established in 2010, Yes is the youngest mobile network operator (MNO) in Malaysia with advanced and innovative communications technology. Unlike other MNOs with legacy network infrastructure, Yes is the only all-IP (Internet Protocol) network with fully virtualized IT and network functions.
7. Yes is the pioneer of 4G in Malaysia and the world’s first fully converged 4G Mobile Internet service with voice.
8. Yes is the first telecommunications company in Malaysia to launch 5G broadband and network services to consumers with its “First To 5G” plans.
9. Yes provides services with 92% population coverage across the country and is the highest-rated network across all service quality categories*.
*Based on MCMC 2021 Customer Satisfaction Report with net score of 3.81/4.00
10. Yes lays claim to a string of industry awards and accolades, which is a testament of its commitment to provide affordable and accessible internet for all Malaysians.
- Fastest Mobile Network Speed in Malaysia (Ookla Speedtest Awards)
- Best in Quality of Service (MCMC Star Rating Awards)
- Best Mobile Network Operator (MCMC Star Rating Awards)
- Best in Corporate Social Responsibility (MCMC Star Rating Awards)
We have come a long way in the telecommunications field since the early days of Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone call in 1876. The way in which Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and telecommunications have shaped our lives is simply incredible.
With the remarkable transformations in the past and looking to the future of telecommunications, one thing is clear: the possibilities are endless, and we can only imagine the incredible advancements that are yet to come. Through YTL Communications and Yes, we take pride in staying true to the Group’s purpose of Building The Right Thing, in shaping the advancement of the telco industry for Malaysia and beyond.
