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Communicator from Star Trek, The Original Series

Communicators are devices used for voice communication in the Star Trek fictional universe. They allow direct contact between individuals or via a ship's communication system.

The communicator in the Star Trek universe surpasses the capabilities of modern mobile phone technology; it allows crew members to contact starships in orbit, without relying on an artificial satellite to relay the signal. Communicators use subspace transmissions that do not conform to normal rules of physics; signals can bypass EM interference, and the devices allow nearly instantaneous communication at distances that would otherwise require more time to traverse.

In Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), communicators functioned as a plot device, stranding characters in challenging situations when they malfunctioned, were lost or stolen, or went out of range. (Otherwise, the transporter would have allowed characters to return to the ship at the first sign of trouble, ending the storyline prematurely.^[1])

Throughout Star Trek: Enterprise and TOS, on-ship communication is achieved via communicator panels on desks and walls, and sometimes through the use of videophones. While on away missions, the crew carries hand-held communicators that flip open; the top section contains a transceiver antenna, and the bottom contains user controls, a speaker, and a microphone.

Wrist-worn communicators were used in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and remained in use by some Starfleet installations and vessels during the time of The Wrath of Khan. However, the traditional handheld communicator returned in later films; the reason for the switch was not explained. Although it is not a canon source, Mister Scott's Guide to the Enterprise offered the explanation that Starfleet discontinued use of the wrist-worn communicators when they were determined to be prone to failure after suffering minor impacts.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and later series, the crew wears small communicator badges on their left breast. These devices are in the shape of the Starfleet insignia, and are activated with a light tap. They also incorporate the universal translator.

The first version of the communicator badge was used throughout the TNG series and during the first two seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9). The second was used in later seasons of DS9, Star Trek: Voyager, and the TNG films. Use of the badges dates back at least as far as the time of the Enterprise-C (Lt. Richard Castillo is shown wearing a communicator badge in the TNG episode "Yesterday's Enterprise").

While wall and desk panels are still present, officers and crew consider them a secondary system, relying primarily on the badges. Viewscreens are used for visual communications. In Starfleet vessels and installations, communication can also be accomplished by directing the computer to initiate communications with another person.

Dr. Martin Cooper, inventor of the modern mobile phone, credits the TOS communicator as being his inspiration for the technology. Although the first "brick" mobile phones were much larger, modern flip phones strongly resemble the original series communicator.^[2]

No real-world equivalent to subspace communication has been developed, proposed, or theorized. However, many other aspects of Starfleet communications technology are commonplace. For example, locator functionality is implemented via GPS, LoJack, RFID, and radio direction finder devices.

In February 2005, a mobile phone styled on the original series communicator and running Windows Mobile was announced by mobile communications company Sona for release in October of that year. However, the product was not released, and details are no longer available on the company's website (as of May 2007).

The highly distinctive sound effect which usually signals the opening of a TOS communicator is also heard in the first scene of the pilot episode of Hawaii Five-O ("Cocoon"), just before the very first words are spoken. This is amusing because the part of Captain Kirk was originally offered not to William Shatner, but to Jack Lord, who instead took the lead role in the other series.

• Communicator article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki