Memory Alpha
Register
Advertisement
Memory Alpha
File:SatoListens.jpg

Ensign Sato listens to a 22nd century Starfleet intercom

An intercom (or companel) was a fixed-location communications device and the user interface to a voice data network.

Primitive analogue intercoms were used as early as the 20th century, at least on Earth. More advanced digital intercoms were developed later.

File:Intercom1.jpg

Typical 23rd century Federation starship intercom

Although portable, hand-held communicators were available, advanced intercoms were the primary shipboard interface to person-to-person communications systems on the first starships in Starfleet vessels and remained so through the founding of the UFP and until the 24th century.

Intercoms were capable of being tied together for uniform ship-wide output. Both Earth Starfleet and Federation ships possessed this "public address" facility. Starship captains would initiate intraship communications by ordering a bridge officer (typically the communications officer, but also the helmsman or the navigator), to open a channel. (TOS: "The Cage", "Where No Man Has Gone Before", "The Corbomite Maneuver", et al.)

Typically, intercoms were built into walls and bulkheads or were mounted in workstations and desks. Intercoms could be voice-only or, as they developed into the 23rd century, include both voice data and visual images of the speaker. (TOS: "Journey to Babel", "Assignment: Earth"); TAS: "Yesteryear", and others) The panels also included a red button to which sound Red Alert when necessary.

The armrest of a captain's chair often included a communication panel to allow a ship's CO the ability to easily communicate with the crew. (ENT: "Terra Prime"; Star Trek Nemesis, and others)

By the 24th century, wearable combadges had displaced the intercom as the main shipboard communications device, although the companels are still available as a backup communication system. Intercoms were ill-remembered by 24th century natives who traveled back in time to ships still so equipped. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")

In 2371, the Amargosa observatory was still equipped with old-fashioned intercoms. (Star Trek Generations)

See also

This article or section is incompleteThis page is marked as lacking essential detail, and needs attention. Information regarding expansion requirements may be found on the article's talk page. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

External link

Advertisement