Skip to main content
   

Pioneers and personalities: F

Welcome to the alphabetical walkthrough of pioneers and personalities. You're now on letter F. Click through the rest of the alphabet to find out more about the people who've helped shape telecommunication as we know it today.

Fanning, Shawn (1980-)

Fanning, Shawn (1980-)

Shawn Fanning created the website Napster in 1999. This was a controversial site that allowed people to people share music files over the Internet, instead of buying CDs. In 2001 the United States' music industry took ...

Faraday, Michael (1791-1867) : electricity at the flick of a switch

Faraday, Michael (1791-1867) : electricity at the flick of a switch

Michael Faraday's work laid the foundations for electrical technology, and he was the first man to create continuous artificial electricity.

Fawcett, Henry (1833-1884) : political crusader

Fawcett, Henry (1833-1884) : political crusader

Henry Fawcett was a political reformer who became Postmaster-General in 1880.

Fessenden, Professor Reginald (1866-1932) : there's something in the air

Fessenden, Professor Reginald (1866-1932) : there's something in the air

Reginald Fessenden created the system for transmitting music and speech by radio, known as AM (amplitude modulation).

Field, Cyrus W. (1815-1896) : connecting the continents

Field, Cyrus W. (1815-1896) : connecting the continents

Cyrus Field was an entrepreneur who led the first transatlantic telegraph cable venture.

Fleming, Sir John Ambrose (1849-1945) : kicking-off the great electronics race

Fleming, Sir John Ambrose (1849-1945) : kicking-off the great electronics race

Although not one of the 'greats' of invention, John Fleming's creation of the thermionic valve (or vacuum tube) helped kick-start modern electronics.

Tommy Flowers (1905-1998) : creating the colossus

Tommy Flowers (1905-1998) : creating the colossus

Tommy Flowers built the first computer, as a codebreaking device during the Second World War.


Explore Connected Earth
What's on

Visit the updated Communicate! galllery at the National Museum of Scotland.

Partner in profile

Discover the records behind the history of telecommunications as BT Heritage launches online catalogue.

Most popular