Developing оf Telecommunications

We can not deny the role of telecommunications in our life. The Internet, phones, telegraph, cell phones, radio, television are all the means of communication or telecommunication. Nowadays we live in information era, when information is the key and engine of progress. Our society needs perfect means of information exchange that is why all types of telecommuni­cation are under the permanent developing.

Currently hundreds of millions of people use wireless com­munication means. Cell phone is no longer a symbol of pres­tige but a tool, which lets to use working time more effective­ly. Considering that the main service of a mobile connection operator is providing high quality connection, much attention in the telecommunication market is paid to the spectrum of services that cell network subscriber may receive. Today we can easily connect to the Internet using our cell phone or to take a picture or to take a short movie, using our video cell phone.

Late in the nineteenth century, communication facilities were augmented by a new invention — telephone. In the USA its use expanded slowly and by 1900 the American Telephone and Telegraph Company controlled 855,000 telephones. After 1900, telephone installations extended much more rapidly in all the wealthier countries. The number of telephones in use in the world grew at almost 100 per cent per decade. But long­distance telephone services gradually developed and began to compete with telegraphic business. A greater contribution to long-range communication came with the development of wire­less technology. Before the outbreak of the First World War wireless telegraphy was established as a means of regular com­munication with ships at sea and provided a valuable supple­ment to existing telegraph lines. In the next few years the tele­phone systems of all the chief countries were connected with each other by radio. Far more immediate was the influence that radio had through broadcasting and by television, which fol­lowed it at an interval of about twenty-five years.

Telephones are as much a part of infrastructure of our so­ciety as roads or electricity, and competition will make them cheaper. Losses from lower prices will be countered by higher usage. Most important of all, by cutting out the need to install costly cables and microwave transmitters, the new telephones could be a boon to the remote and poor regions of the earth. Even today, half the world's population lives more than two hours away from a telephone.

Satellite phones are not going to deliver all their benefits at once. Lots of other new communication services — on-line film libraries, personal computers that can send video-clips and sound-bites as easily as they can be used for writing letters, terrestrial mobile-telephone systems cheap enough to replace old sets — are already technically possible.

Questions:

1. What means of telecommunication do you know?

2. Why do we try to develop all types of telecommunica­tion?

3. Can we connect to the Internet using our cell phone to­day?

4. What was invented late in the nineteenth century?

5. What technology made a great contribution to a long-range communication?

6. Was there wireless telegraphy as a means of regular com­munication before the outbreak of the First World War?

7. What new telecommunication services do you know?

8. What do you see as the most interesting developments in the near future?

9. Do you agree that telephones are as much a part of infrastructure of our so­ciety as roads or electricity, and competition will make them cheaper?

10. What is your favourite means of telecommunication?

Vocabulary:

telecommunication телекоммуникация, дальняя связь;

to develop развивать, совершенствовать

to deny отрицать, отказываться от

cell phone мобильный телефон

exchange обмен

permanent постоянный

tool инструмент

effectively эффективно

to consider считать, полагать

operator оператор

to provide обеспечивать, снабжать

network сеть, система

subscriber подписчик, клиент

to receive получать, принимать, воспринимать

facility pi. оборудование, аппаратура

to augment увеличивать, прибавлять

invention изобретение

to expand расширять, увеличивать

installation установка, размещение

to extend распостранять, расширять

gradually постепенно, понемногу

to compete конкурировать, соревноваться

contribution содействие, вклад

wireless беспроволочный, дистанционный

outbreak зд. внезапное начало

to establish основывать, создавать

valuable ценный, полезный

supplement дополнение, добавление

immediate внезапный, безотлагательный

influence воздействие, влияние

to broadcast передавать в эфире, вещать

interval промежуток, интервал

infrastructure инфраструктура

electricity электричество

microwave микроволновый

transmitter передатчик

boon благо, дар; перимущество

remote отдаленный, далекий

benefits услуги, выгоды, привилегии

terrestrial земной, наземный

Dialogue:

- Give me 100 first-class stamps, please.

- Here you are.That will be 25 dollars.Anything else?

- Yes, I want 20 airmail stamps for Europe.

- Okay.Your total bill is 34 dollars.

- May I have a receipt?

- Of course (gives a receipt).

- I also need airmail labels.

- All right, sir.

- One more question. I want to register this letter.Can I do it at your window?

- No.Go to the second window on your right.

- I want to send this letter by registered mail.

- You have to fill out this form. Do you want a return receipt?

- What is a return receipt?

- The addressee signs a receipt when he recieves a registered letter or a package. This receipt is returned to you by airmail by the Post Office. A return receipt is your proof that the letter was delivered.

- Okay.I would like to have a return receipt.

- Then you have to fill an additional form that looks like a post card. Come back to this window as soon as you have filled out the forms.

Translate into English:

1. Интернет, телефон, телеграф, сотовый телефон, радио, телевидение — все это средства связи.

2. Наше общество нуж­дается в совершенных средствах информационного обмена, именно поэтому все типы телесвязи находятся в процессе постоянного развития.

3. Используя свой сотовый видеотелефон, мы можем запросто подключиться к интер­нету, сфотографироваться или снять короткий фильм.

4. В США развитие телефона шло медленно, и к 1900 году американская Телефонная и телеграфная компания управляла 855 000 те­лефонов.

5. Большой вклад в развитие дальней телефонной связи внесло развитие радио.

6. В последующие несколько лет телефонные системы всех мировых держав были связаны друг с другом радиосвязью.

7. Гораздо более сильное влияние радио оказало через радио­вещание и телевидение, которое появилось приблизитель­но через двадцать пять лет после появления радио.

8. Самым важным является то, что из-за отстутствия необхо­димости проводить дорогостоящий кабель и микроволно­вые передатчики, новые телефоны стали «большим подар­ком» для отдаленных и бедных районов.

9. Все выгоды использования спутниковых телефонов не проявятся сразу.

10. Большое количество других новых услуг связи, таких как онлайновые библиотеки фильмов, персональные компью­теры - достаточно дешевые.

ОТКАЗ

Отказ оформляется в следующих выражениях:

(Я) не могу. No, I can't.

Никак не могу. I simply can't.

К сожалению... (I'm) sorry. I'm afraid...

К несчастью... Unfortunately...

Сожаление при отказе, степень вежливого отказа могут выражаться
в следующих высказываниях:

С удовольствием бы..., но не могу. I'd be delighted..., but I can't.

Мне неудобно отказы- I hate to say "no" but...

вать (ся)..., но...

Очень жаль, но... I'm very/really /terribly/awfully sorry but...

Мне жаль, но... I'm sorry but... I'm afraid...

Официальный категорический отказ:

Я отказываюсь (что-либо делать). I refuse to (do sth.).

Отказом на просьбу помочь являются стилистически повышенные высказывания:

Я не в силах (что-либо делать). I'm unable to do sth.