9 ways we kept in touch during the 80s, 90s and noughties, which you'll only understand if you were around

By Robert Cumber

Property and retro writer

Published 9th Jun 2025, 13:16 BST

The way we communicate has changed hugely in recent years, rapidly rendering once-ubiquitous technology obsolete.

The rise of the mobile phone and social media mean you’re always connected, making it almost impossible to get away from it all.

But you don’t have to go back to the days of smoke signals to find a time when life was much simpler and nobody needed a digital detox.

As recently as the 80s, 90s and noughties, it was still easy to cut yourself off and escape - even for just a moment - from the pressures of daily life.

Of course back then we didn’t know how good we had it, and we were all desperate for the latest technology to ensure we didn’t miss a thing.

Below are just some of the ways we used to stay in touch, many of which you’ll only truly understand if you remember the 80s, 90s and noughties.

How many of these do you remember using and would you happily go back to the days before we were all connected at the touch of a screen?

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If you were important, or wanted to feel important, during the 80s, 90s and early noughties then you had to have a pager. Also known as a bleeper, it ensured you were connected at all times and never missed a vital - or not so vital - message. These once ubiquitous devices, often found clipped to the owner's belt, gradually faded from public life due to the rise of mobile phones and texting. But you'll often spot them on medical dramas, even today, as their reliability means they are still used in some hospitals.

1. Pager

If you were important, or wanted to feel important, during the 80s, 90s and early noughties then you had to have a pager. Also known as a bleeper, it ensured you were connected at all times and never missed a vital - or not so vital - message. These once ubiquitous devices, often found clipped to the owner's belt, gradually faded from public life due to the rise of mobile phones and texting. But you'll often spot them on medical dramas, even today, as their reliability means they are still used in some hospitals. | DAVID VAN DER VEEN/AFP via Getty Images Photo: DAVID VAN DER VEEN/AFP via Getty Images

Once at the cutting edge of technology, the world is a quieter place thanks to the demise of the fax machine. The loud screeches and beeps they emitted while sending and receiving information was a feature of office life during the 80s and 90s, before the growth of the internet and email rendered them largely obsolete. The noise fax machines made was so horrendous that one person described them as sounding 'like Satan himself'.

2. Fax

Once at the cutting edge of technology, the world is a quieter place thanks to the demise of the fax machine. The loud screeches and beeps they emitted while sending and receiving information was a feature of office life during the 80s and 90s, before the growth of the internet and email rendered them largely obsolete. The noise fax machines made was so horrendous that one person described them as sounding 'like Satan himself'. | Central Press/Getty Images Photo: Central Press/Getty Images

Before the advent of Facebook, Twitter and co, the easiest place to meet complete strangers online was an internet chat room. Among the first and most popular during the late 90s and early noughties were the AOL chat rooms, where you could find a group for almost any topic. People were so excited by the new technology that these chat rooms were generally good natured and not filled with the vitriol that plagues so much of social media these days, though you were never quite sure who you were talking to online. Those were the days before everyone was online that internet cafes, like the one pictured, were popular.

3. Internet chat rooms

Before the advent of Facebook, Twitter and co, the easiest place to meet complete strangers online was an internet chat room. Among the first and most popular during the late 90s and early noughties were the AOL chat rooms, where you could find a group for almost any topic. People were so excited by the new technology that these chat rooms were generally good natured and not filled with the vitriol that plagues so much of social media these days, though you were never quite sure who you were talking to online. Those were the days before everyone was online that internet cafes, like the one pictured, were popular. | Jonathan Elderfield/Liaison/Getty Images Photo: Jonathan Elderfield/Liaison/Getty Images

If there's a more 80s photo than this one, we'd like to see it. The first mobile phones which could be easily carried went on sale in 1984 but they cost a bomb and were huge compared with today's phones, weighing around 1.4kg. Nicknamed bricks, due to their unwieldy dimensions, you needed strong wrists to hold a conversation for any decent length of time while holding one of these monsters.

4. Brick phones

If there's a more 80s photo than this one, we'd like to see it. The first mobile phones which could be easily carried went on sale in 1984 but they cost a bomb and were huge compared with today's phones, weighing around 1.4kg. Nicknamed bricks, due to their unwieldy dimensions, you needed strong wrists to hold a conversation for any decent length of time while holding one of these monsters. | Dave Hogan/Getty Images Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

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