Telecom Towers, Masts, and Poles

Telecom Towers, Masts, and Poles was a one-time IET London Friday Lunch Lecture delivered by Professor Nigel Linge (University of Salford) on Friday 28 March 2025 at IET Savoy Place, 2 Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL, United Kingdom. Organised by volunteers from the IET London Friday Lunch Lecture committee, the talk explored the history and evolution of the physical structures that underpin modern telecommunications — from ancient fire beacons and Napoleonic-era semaphore towers to the iconic BT Tower and long-wave radio transmitters. Professor Linge covered early telegraphy, the dawn of voice telephony, Marconi's pioneering wireless transmissions, and the growth of regional radio and TV broadcasting in the UK, as well as modern lattice towers, monopoles, and the use of digital twinning and drones for infrastructure inspection. The lecture was recorded by IETtv. This was a single standalone lecture, not a recurring trade show, and no future edition has been announced.