The book “Other Networks: A Radical Technology Sourcebook” goes beyond the internet to explore various networks, including barbed wire. The history of using barbed wire for communication, specifically for barbed wire fence phones, is intriguing and almost entirely undocumented. The installation of “Barbed Wire Fence Telephone II” at CU Boulder was a surprising success, with support from the College of Media, Communication, and Information. The section on barbed wire in the book delves into the cultural history of this material, its usage in fencing, and the creation of fence phones for cooperative telecommunications networks among farmers and ranchers.
https://loriemerson.net/2024/08/31/a-brief-history-of-barbed-wire-fence-telephone-networks/