Bell system engineers demonstrate the first transmission of pictures over telephone wires. Philo Farnsworth invents the television. The number of rural telephone systems swells to an all-time high of 6,000. The first color photographs are sent over wire from San Francisco to New York, for the New York World. The Federal Communications Commission is created.
Universal service becomes a national policy.
This reduced bulk and improved transmission. 1937 Coaxial cable is installed between Toledo, Ohio, and South Bend, Indiana, putting long-distance lines underground. The first commercial messages are sent via coax, which let several calls carry over one cable at the same time. 1938 Spiral cords are created. 1938 Cross-bar switching is introduced.