This course examines the convergence of different technologies and cultures in telephony since the nineteenth century. It surveys the technical development of the telephone, from its roots in telegraphy to radio and portable phones to mobile computing. We will trace the history of 'telephonic principles' such as interaction and universality, and telephony in various social contexts: national and transnational telephone cultures; genres of text messaging; the relationship of communication technology to public, private, and virtual space; and the appropriation of the medium for the purposes of art and activism.