The first fiber optic strand with a glass core and cladding was developed in 1957 by Lawrence Curtiss, an American physicist. the history of the development of fiber optics for communications. Dates, of course, are often approximate, as putting a firm date on the introduction of a new technology is often impossible! the most important technical developments in Fiber Optics Watch the companion video by FOA "The History Of. How has fiber optic technology changed over the years? Learn all this and more in this timeline documenting the history and development of fiber optics for communications. Introduction As the. The optical telegraph, invented by Claude Chappe in 1790, was the first practical telecommunications system using optical technology. It comprised a series of towers spaced 10-30 km apart, with movable semaphore arms on top that could be oriented at various angles to signify different letters and. The fiber optics evolution timeline traces the remarkable journey from simple scientific experiments to the backbone of modern global connectivity. Charles Kao at STL in the United Kingdom.