Nokia Bell Labs celebrates 100 years
of innovation and looks ahead to
another century of discovery

It all began with the telephone. Bell Telephone Laboratories was established on Jan. 1, 1925, in New York City, as a semi-autonomous entity dedicated to research and development. Under the vision of its first president, Frank Jewitt, it created a new, focused approach to innovation.

Fitting for a company that owes its name to Alexander Graham Bell, the earliest Bell Labs innovations revolved around providing clear, reliable telephone connections. Bell Labs' early years were marked by a relentless pursuit of innovation in the fields of speech and sound.

As such, the 1920s and 1930s included inventions such as the Artificial Larynx, Long Distance Television Transmission and Synchronized Sound Movies.

But it was the 1947 invention of the transistor that changed everything. This tiny semiconductor device was capable of amplifying and switching electronic signals, revolutionizing electronics. This groundbreaking discovery laid the foundation for the modern computer age.

The point-contact transistor
 

The following year, Claude Shannon introduced Information Theory, turning our world into bits and bytes of 0s and 1s. These principles established the foundation for modern communications, computing, digital media, compression, cryptography and the internet.

Shannon’s creation of "Theseus," a mechanical mouse controlled by an electromechanical relay circuit that enabled it to move around a labyrinth of 25 squares, was one of the first applications of artificial intelligence. In 1955, he co-authored the paper that formalized AI as a field of study at the inaugural Dartmouth conference the following year.

Bell Labs' impact extends far beyond the confines of its research facilities – even the confines of Earth itself. From the development of the first satellite communication system to the invention of the digital signal processor, Bell Labs has consistently pushed the boundaries of communication technology. It has connected the globe with telephone lines, fiber optic cables and cellular signals.

And Bell Labs didn’t limit itself to our planet. It has a long legacy in space, working with NASA on the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions.

The 1962 launch of Telstar 1 was the first orbiting communications satellite to transmit TV signals. Suddenly, breaking news, sporting events and video communications could be broadcast live to distant parts of the globe thanks to that seminal satellite.

"Big Bang" discoverers Arno Penzias (left) and Robert Wilson in front of the Holmdel Horn Antenna
 

Today, Nokia Bell Labs is deploying the first cellular network on the Moon as it seeks to prove that cellular technologies can meet extraterrestrial communications needs.

When NASA’s Artemis III crew lands on the Moon as early as mid-2027, they will use next-generation spacesuits from Axiom Space that Nokia Bell Labs equipped with integrated network connectivity. This advanced lunar surface network allows astronauts to communicate with each other and capture real-time video, biometric and telemetry data and communicate with Mission Control on Earth. These communications solutions will also support scientific exploration, such as the search for lunar water, which astronauts could convert to breathable oxygen and use to create fuel for future space missions.

“Our legacy is built on 100 years of bold imagination and innovative breakthroughs that have changed how we connect people and communities worldwide,” said Dr. Thierry E. Klein, President of Bell Labs Solutions Research at Nokia. “Now, thanks to our visionary technologies, we are delivering the communication building blocks here on Earth as well as for the rapidly growing space economy that underpins sustained human presence on the Moon and eventually on Mars.”

A rendering of the Intuitive Machines Athena lander

Today, Nokia Bell Labs continues to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and applied research. The company is actively exploring the frontiers of AI, quantum computing and 6G wireless technologies. With a focus on creating a more sustainable and connected future, Nokia Bell Labs is dedicated to addressing global challenges through technological innovation.

It is setting world-record optical speeds to meet the insatiable global demand for high-speed communication. It has launched UNEXT, a new research initiative that creates a unified networking experience for autonomous service creation. It is advancing Web3 and unlocking the potential of a future hyper digital-physical world by laying the foundations with 6G networks.

A Nokia Bell Labs optical researcher working in the lab
 

Its groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence and dynamic digital twins is powering the upcoming Industry 5.0 and investigating quantum technologies to radically transform industries and reshape how we live. And it is inventing technologies that create a sixth digital sense for humans, industry and networks. This includes wearable sensors for non-invasive health monitoring, sensors that can model new drugs and proteins, environmental fiber sensing on the ocean floor to improve earthquake and tsunami monitoring and 6G sensing that provides real-time insights into the location of robots, machines and people in industrial environments to improve safety.