What is TAT-1?
'''TAT-1''' (Transatlantic No. 1) was the first submarine [[transatlantic telephone cable]] system. It was laid between [[Oban|Oban, Scotland]] and [[Clarenville, Newfoundland]].<ref name=SMuse>{{cite web |url=http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/online_science/explore_our_collections/objects/index/smxg-33334 |title=Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, 1956|author= |date= |website= |publisher=The Science Museum |accessdate=4 June 2015}}</ref> Two cables were laid between 1955 and 1956. One cable for each direction.<ref name=SMuse/> It was inaugurated on September 25, 1956.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://atlantic-cable.com/Cables/1956TAT-1/ |title=History of the Atlantic Cable & Undersea Communications |author=Bill Burns |date= |website= |publisher=Atlantic-Cable.com |accessdate=4 June 2015}}</ref> The cable was able to carry 35 simultaneous telephone calls.<ref name=Register>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/10/14/reg_man_talks_transatlantic_with_tat1/ |title=TAT-1: Call the cable guy, all I see is a beautiful beach |author=Bill Ray|date=14 October 2013 |website= |publisher=The Register|accessdate=4 June 2015}}</ref> A 36th channel was used to carry up to 22 [[telegraph]] lines.<ref name=Register/> ==History== The first [[transatlantic telegraph cable]] had been laid in 1858 (see [[Cyrus West Field]]).<ref name=History>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-transatlantic-telegraph-cable-completed |title=First transatlantic telegraph cable completed |author= |date= |website=HIstory.com |publisher=A&E Television Networks, LLC |accessdate=4 June 2015}}</ref> It only operated for a month, but was replaced with a successful connection in 1866.<ref name=History/> A radio-based transatlantic telephone service was started in 1927. It charged £9 for three minutes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/insight/tag/first-transatlantic-telephone-cable/ |title=Inside the Science Museum |author= |date= |website= |publisher=Sciencemuseum.org |accessdate=4 June