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From beeps to codes: 9 communication methods that defined pre-smartphone life
Before texting and social media, people relied on creative ways to stay connected — from pager codes and landline tricks to handwritten notes. Explore nine nostalgic communication methods that shaped pre-smartphone life.
By Trevor Mahoney for SpokeoNov. 4 2025, Published 12:08 p.m. ET
From beeps to codes: 9 communication methods that defined pre-smartphone life
In the modern age of blue and green text bubbles, it’s easy to forget how much effort communication used to take. Scattered over the pre-smartphone decades, various communication methods would take the world by storm, only to be replaced by something new.
While many of these methods may seem archaic now, it’s fun to take a stroll down memory lane to a time when constant communication was in its infancy. Using data gathered from the Washington Post, Consumer Reports, Technology Review and more, Spokeo examines how these communication methods shaped how people talk to one another even today.
1. Pagers (Beepers)
Serving as the stereotypical badge for doctors and truckers in television shows, pagers were useful for those constantly on the go in the ’90s. A user would receive a short numeric message, some of which were generic and well-known, and others were only known among friends. Some of the most common included:
- 143 - “I love you”
- 637 - “Always and forever”
- 823 - “Thinking of you”
Most people would have assumed pagers were extinct, but an illuminating Washington Post article covers how operatives overseas still use them to avoid intelligence tracking. For the average person, however, pagers simply serve as a fun reminder of the first foray into instant communication.
2. AIM Screen Names (AOL Instant Messenger)
Many likely remember sitting for hours trying to come up with the perfect screen name when AIM via AOL Instant Messenger was first released in 1997. For the majority of people, this was their first time having access to instant digital communication, and AIM is often considered to be the birthplace of modern Internet slang.
In fact, MIT Technology Review goes so far as to attribute AOL Instant Messaging to shaping the very culture of social media in modern day. This early iteration of instant messaging helped people learn how to navigate a text form of communication.
3. ICQ Numbers
Before usernames became popular, ICQ numbers were cutting-edge. Functioning essentially as an early fingerprint, unique ICQ numbers represented a person online on the ICQ messaging platform. These numbers started as six digits and continued sequentially every time someone new registered, so those with lower numbers benefited from a sense of prestige at being a pioneer of the messaging platform.
The idea of linking digital communication to a unique digital handle is something that has certainly carried through to today and is used across every app that requires a login to access the platform.
4. CB Radio Handles
Citizen’s band radios, better known as CB radios, weren’t just for truckers. In the 1970s and 1980s, this technology was used by millions to tune into weather alerts, highway updates, and general banter over the radio waves.
CB Radio, at its earliest point, is even considered by NTS Logistics to have shaped trucking camaraderie well before it was widely used by the industry. Serving as a raw and sometimes anonymous local form of communication, it’s easy to see how it has influenced social media platforms today.
5. Fax Machine Numbers
For an entire generation of office workers, fax numbers were among the most important to remember. This number was how clients could reach you, how business deals were closed, and how documents flowed seamlessly across towns.
Faxes have gone out of fashion in many modern workplaces, but industries where signatures and security matter greatly still make use of them. Health care organizations and law firms are two common examples.
6. MSN/Windows Live Messenger
MSN or Windows Live Messenger is often considered to be the next frontier in a post-AIM world. Featuring nudge vibrations, late-night chats, music updates, and other miscellaneous communications, this platform was an institution for many.
Peaking at 330 million users in the late 2000s, Windows Live Messenger was many people’s first introduction to true online friendships and even digital romances.
7. MySpace Messages/Friend Requests
The next step in the evolution of communication between strangers becoming friends, MySpace has to be mentioned, and the name elicits a strong emotional reaction from many. Before Instagram bios and LinkedIn headlines, someone’s MySpace profile contained a synopsis of their life.
Whether building a digital brand, checking messages like your life depended on it, or scrutinizing your choice in background design, MySpace was the precursor to all-in-one social media platforms.
8. Prepaid Phone Calling Cards
Sold predominantly at gas stations and convenience stores, scratch-off calling cards were often a lifeline for travelers or those in need of an urgent long-distance call. While questions about fees and all-in-costs often clouded the waters around this communication method, its usefulness to those in need of quick vocal communication cannot be overstated.
9. Phone Book/White Page Listings
Finally, serving as the analog version of the modern search bar or people search engine, these tools were printed directories where anyone could find anyone. The rise of online platforms have made these obsolete, but many may still have a dusty phone book sitting in the attic preserving the directory from that point in time. The rise of online platforms has made these obsolete, but for those wanting to explore the present-day equivalent, a people search can instantly provide contact info while a reverse phone lookup can show you who owns a certain phone number.
What Is Lost and Gained with Technology
From pager codes to complete digital profiles, communication in society has changed drastically in a matter of decades. In the past, communication required far more effort. Whether it was needing to remember a number or literally having to be in range of someone, contacting others was difficult and required greater intention.
Nowadays, communication is as easy as finding someone’s profile on one of many apps and sending a message to connect. Easy to be sure, yet undoubtedly surface level. This raises questions about how technology is evolving and whether communication is better or worse than in the past. The answer remains to be seen.
This story was produced by Spokeo and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
