The introduction of telecommunications services in Ethiopia dates back to 1894, seventeen years after the invention of telephone technology in the world. It was Minilik II, the King of Ethiopia, who introduced telephone technology to the country around 1894, with the installation of 477 km long telephone and telegram lines from Harar to Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia).
However the first Ethiopian pioneer of telephony was his cousin Ras Mekonnen who came back with telephone apparatus in 1889 after his visit of Italy.
Gradually, the technological scheme was proved to contribute to the integration of the Ethiopian society when the extensive open wire line system was laid out linking the Ethiopian capital city with all the important administrative towns of the country. The company was placed under government control at the beginning of the twentieth century, and was later brought to operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Post and Communications.
In 1952, telecommunications services were separated from the postal administration, and structured under the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation is the oldest Public Telecommunications Operator (PTO) in Africa.
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