Modern vs Medieval, what time is it?

[Wyssahtyn]

And Teledji famously prevented even having an aetheryte installed in Vesper Bay simply to snub the Scions of the Seventh Dawn for not taking bribes.

Reasonably certain that that was Lord Lolorito, hence the giant statue of him in the main plaza.

instant mass-communication is available in the form of linkshells that are basically radiophones (Cid outright mentioned they use radio waves to function)

Also reasonably certain that he was speaking of the Garlean equivalent to linkpearls and how they could be disrupted by lightning aspected aether.

Okay, found the specific thing. Drowning out the Voices MSQ: "Imperial forces communicate at a distance via electromagnetic waves. Simply put, voices are borne upon aetheric lightning energy that permeates the air." So, it's the Garlean equivalent of linkpearls, likely actual radios.