Guglielmo Marconi was born in Bologna, Italy, on April 25, 1874.
In 1895, Marconi managed to send and receive broadcasts from 2 kilometers away overcoming a hill.
Marconi applied for his first patent on June 2, 1896. It referred to a telegraphic system, which used Hertz waves.
In July 1896 he demonstrated the use of his telegraphic system to the Head Post Office, to the Navy, and to the Army.
In one of his experiments Marconi reached a record distance of 8.7 miles (14km) with his Morse code messages. His coded message said: “Let it be so.”
In 1897, Marconi was able to install a device that connected two ferries with the station at Madeira House in Bournemouth.
Marconi registered his first company in 1897. He called it “First World Company of Signals and Telegraphy”.
In 1898, the first wireless technology company was opened on Hall Street.
In 1899, Marconi’s wireless device began to be utilized, thus allowing ships in distress to send messages to the mainland to receive relief.
The Wireless Signal Company changed its name 5 times:
a) In 1900, the name became the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company
b) The second time the name changed was in 1963, Marconi Company Limited.
c) In 1987, another change of name: CEG-Marconi Company Limited
d) In 1998, the name became Marconi Electronic Systems Limited.
e) The name was changed for the last time last time in 1999 to Marconi plc.
Marconi applied for his second patent on April 26, 1900. He had invented a coupled circuit system that allowed simultaneous messages on different frequencies.
On April 25, Marconi created the Marconi International Marine Communication Company Ltd. to monitor the maritime affairs of his company.
In April 1901, Marconi was able to send messages 198 miles away, precisely between the Isle of Wight and Lizard in Cornwall.
On December 12, 1901, Marconi launched an aerostatic balloon able to receive Morse messages. With this experiment the age of long-distance communications was born.
This year the radio was invented.
In January 1909, two ships collided on the ocean. The radio operator Jack Binns sent many messages that allowed the rescuers to reach the scene of the accident.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, which he shared with Karl Ferdinand Braun.
On April 14, 1912 the famous Titanic tragedy shocked the world. The survivors were saved thanks to the request for assistance sent by Marconi’s radio.
On 15 June 1920, the first song by Dame Nellie Melba was transmitted with a 15kW device by Marconi.
In 1921, the Company transmitted the first entertainment broadcast with a low-power Writtle transmitter.
In 1922 the Companies merged together and the BBC, The British Broadcasting Corporation, was created.
In 1924, the shortwave directional transmission was adopted on board the ship Elettra, Marconi’s sailing laboratory.
In 1929 the companies created by the British government and the Dominions obtained control of Marconi’s licenses, companies and investments to protect the interests of the Empire from Marconi’s growing power.
In 1929 – Marconi was given the noble title of Marquis by King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy.
In 1932, Marconi used the first short-wave telephone to connect the Vatican to the Pope’s summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.
Marconi Wireless Companies merged with EMI Ltd. in 1934. The new company was called Marconi-EMI Television Co. Ltd and was responsible for television broadcasting.
In 1935 Marconi moved to Rome, Italy.
In 1936, the BBC adopted the Marconi-EMI Television Co. Ltd. system to broadcast the first public service.
Guglielmo Marconi died in Italy on July 20, 1937 at the age of 63. He was buried in the mausoleum of Villa Griffone.
In 1946 Marconi’s company was acquired by English Electric.
This year the remote control was invented.
Portable radios came to the market.
The first satellite was put in orbit.
This year the first transcontinental video conference took place.
The first cellphone was tested.
In 1968, English Electric merged with General Electric Company (GEC).
Video conferencing took off.
In 1999, the GEC changed its name again to Marconi plc.
Cloud computing finally took off.
