Telecommunications history began in New Zealand in 1862 with the opening of the first telegraph line between Christchurch and Lyttleton. The innovation quickly led to installation of other lines, operated both privately and by the military. In 1865, the first submarine cable connected the two main Islands and by the late 1870s the first private telephone line had been installed. Ever since telecommunications has played an important role in the development of New Zealand and its connection to the rest of the world
MOTAT's telecommunication collection includes a huge number of items and is one of the most interactive in the museum. It covers the stories of a wide range of communication technology from semaphore to mobile phones, including both an automatic and manual telephone exchange.
Objects from this collection are displayed throughout the site but most are in the telecommunications section located around the corner from Voyager 1.
