No technological innovation, it might be argued, has played so pervasive a role or achieved such diverse effects on the modernisation of society as has the telephone. Yet surprisingly little attention has been paid to its sociology or to critical evaluation of its influence. A plethora of books and papers has discussed radio, television, cable TV, video, satellite communication and the organisation and politicisation of telecommunications; but the object we handle daily — the friendly, miraculous, ubiquitous, intrusive, personal, national and international ‘connector’ — has been slighted and ignored.
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