Question

how are messages communicated before we began to use the telephone​

Answer 1

Aloha Mate

Here you go:

communicate before the telephone was invented?

Telegraph: Message is sent as dots and dashes trough a wire going to one place the message could only be sent to the person on the other side of the wire.

Postal Mail: Messages were written on paper and posted.

Birds: Messages were written on paper and tied to doves and the doves got to it's required destination.

Messengers: Messages were communicated through messengers that usually go on foot or by buggy.