1971: FIBRE OPTICS - light's bright future? | Tomorrow's World | Retro Tech | BBC Archive 

Interesting that in 1971 Fibre optics envisioned use was for illumination rather than what we use it for now, high speed data communication.

No mention of data transfer. Fascinating since that is pretty much the core use today.

The incomparable James Burke. His ‘Connections’ series was seminal.

Little did they know we would now be watching this on said fibreoptics

I was such a fan of tomorrow's world but i had no idea the program existed in 1971!

Information, clearly delivered. I miss JB and the sorts of shows he made. Thanks for posting. Good choice!

50yrs later, LED lights entered the chat

God bless James Burke .... He made "Connections" and "The Day the Universe Changed" before I was born, and I still re-watch them all the time (with no help from the BBC who doesn't make them available!).

Watching this video via fibre optics

Fiber optics was being considered at Michigan Bell. It was an anxious time for us splicers

Little bit before my time but I clearly remember watching tomorrows world in the late 90s

In 1982 British Telecommunications (BT) approached The Thatcher government with a plan to replace all the copper telephone cables in England, Scotland and Wales with fibre optic cables, Thatcher was at the beginning of her special relationship with Ronald Reagan, Thatcher wanted American investment in the UK, especially in our Telecommunications, She claimed that if BT were given the green light to replace all the old copper communication systems with fibre optics this would lead to BT monopolising the communications industry in the UK, this would scare off investment from American companies, Thatcher blocked BT from updating the phone system in the UK, she then went on to privatise BT in 1984. Telecommunications in the UK could and should have been the best in the world, Thanks to Margaret Thatcher; the UK's telecommunications systems are 50 years behind where they should have been.

The fact that they knew of fibre optics back in the early 70s is pretty incredible.

Amazing the technology that came out of Roswell in 1947.

❤❤❤

2022 and only thing available still is copper coaxial cable internet to the home in central London !

This makes me sad. We don't look to the future anymore. Only to the past. Endless remakes, sequels, and fashion in an continuous cycle. We're all just cosplaying the past and it's weird.

I might try bringing the devil horns back as a greeting... 🤔🤟

Nah, I don't see this gimmicky thing catching on..............