The
forerunner of the modem, the Acoustic Coupler provided a means of connecting
computer equipment to the telephone company's equipment in order to send
information. Rather than connect directly to telephone lines as today's
modems do, a telephone handset was actually placed into the acoustic coupler's
cradle. The acoustic coupler was in widespread use during the late
1960's, when computers were still very big and expensive, and limited to
use in offices that could afford them.
