“As expected, the Post Office has been quick to react to acoustic coupling for use in data transmission and has drawn up ‘detailed standards to guide designers of this kind of apparatus’,” reads a story in Electronics Weekly’s issue of September 3rd 1969.
“Acoustic coupling makes it possible to transmit data signals from a telephone by using equipment which fits over the telephone handset and feeds audio signals into the transmitter”, continues the report.
“Several companies already have units available, including Moore Reed who have received permission from the GPO for their unit to be used over the telephone speech network.”
“The Post Office has said that it welcomes this development as a further extension to the usefulness of the telephone,” says the EW report, but adds, “the GPO, like other telephone authorities, recognises that acoustic couplers cannot give the same standards of transmission as purpose-designed wired-in terminals and warns that efficient transmission of data using a telephone instrument designed for speech cannot be completely guaranteed. Nevertheless, it sees a useful future for the new development.”
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