What were the primary methods of long-distance communication before the telephone?
Answer
The telegraph and the mail.
Prior to the telephone, long-distance communication relied on the telegraph, which used codified messages requiring specialized operators, or the mail system, which was limited by the pace of the carrier.

Related Questions
What were the first words spoken by Alexander Graham Bell over the telephone on March 10, 1876?What were the primary methods of long-distance communication before the telephone?What crucial quality of the human voice did Bell's apparatus aim to transmit electrically, unlike the telegraph?Who filed a similar patent application on the exact same day Bell filed his, February 14, 1876?What primary efficiency gain did the telephone provide for businesses initially?How did the telephone immediately alter internal office organization?What area of study heavily informed Alexander Graham Bell's unique perspective on transmitting sound electrically?What component transformed the early telephone system from a point-to-point novelty into a genuine public utility?Regarding deaf education later in life, what method did Alexander Graham Bell strongly advocate for?The telephone introduced a new cultural rhythm defined by operating at what speed?