The First International Phone Call Between Key West and Cuba
The first international phone call in history happened on December 25, 1900, and it connected Key West to Havana. This groundbreaking moment changed global communication forever and highlighted the close historical connection between Cuba and Florida.
At the center of this historic event was John W. Atkins, manager of the Key West office of the International Ocean Telegraph Company. On Christmas Day in 1900, Atkins attempted something that had never been done before. He used existing telegraph wires that ran between Key West and Havana to test whether human voices could travel across those lines.
At first, he heard nothing but electrical interference. Atkins later recalled hearing only a loud roar caused by electric currents. Then, after a few moments of silence, a voice responded from Cuba with the words: “I don’t understand you.”
Although the connection was imperfect, that brief exchange made history as the world’s first international phone call.
The Cable Hut in Key West
Today, visitors to Key West can still explore this remarkable history. The historic Cable Hut stands as a reminder of the city’s role in global communications.
The Cable Hut is recognized as a historic site and remains part of Key West’s historical marker tours. It represents a time when this small island played a major role in connecting nations through technology.
The Telegraph Cable That Connected Cuba and Florida
The story actually began decades earlier. On June 27, 1867, The Times announced plans to connect Cuba and Florida through underwater telegraph cables.
The steamship Narva left England carrying 240 miles of submarine telegraph cable that would link Havana to Key West and Key West to Cape Romano, Florida. This project placed Cuba in direct communication with England, the United States, and Europe.
This achievement was considered a major technological breakthrough at the time. It helped create faster communication between countries long before modern telecommunications existed.
More on this interesting history of the telegraphic cable linking Key West and Cuba can be found here.
See Also: How to Call Cuba
