Fun Facts About the Cell Phone
The cell phone has gone from an oversize luxury item to a pocket-sized mini-computer throughout its evolution. Affordable, high tech, stylish and packed with features, the cell phone seems to be omnipresent in our society. Manufacturers are continuing to push the envelope on the cell phone as it pushes into the 21st century. Calling and texting are just some of the basic features available on phones today.
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Inception
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The earliest "wireless" communication can be traced back to 1865 and Dr. Mahlon Loomis of Virginia. Using the atmosphere as a conductor, Dr. Loomis transmitted messages within an 18-mile range. However, according to CellPhones.org, it wasn't until 1973 that the first prototype of a contemporary cell phone became available. The Motorola Dyna-Tac was introduced in New York during a public show. In 1977, the cell phone went public as it began testing in Chicago with 2,000 customers.
Government Regulation
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As early as 1974, the United States government reserved the airwave space for future cellular providers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) spent years drafting the ground rules regarding policies and regulations. The drafting process delayed the introduction of cell phones to the public. In 1978, according to AmericanHeritage.com, AT&T began testing non-handheld cell phone usage in Chicago. The company was limited by the FCC in terms of what they could do, however. Under pressure from AT&T to act fast, the FCC granted AT&T the spectrum needed for mobile services. Due to limited capacity, it was not uncommon for consumers to be on waiting lists, with doctors getting the highest priority.
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Commercial Use
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The United States saw commercial use of the mobile phone in 1983, when Ameritech, then part of the Bell conglomerate, began marketing the cell phone in Chicago, Illinois. Europe, however, had already started marketing commercial use of cell phones in 1981 through Nordic Mobile Telephone Systems. Operating in four European countries, Nordic Mobile was the first multinational operator of the cell phone. Operators in Italy, West Germany and France began to spring up as commercial providers; however, they were incompatible with each other. During this time, Europe began to plan its digital future for a compatible system throughout Europe.
Smartphones
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Although not known as a cell phone manufacturer today, the International Business Machines (IBM) company began making a smartphone as early as 1993, according to PC Today. These phones featured rudimentary personal information management -- or PIM -- that pale in comparison to today's smartphones. The address book and calendar were features introduced in PIM phones, although third-party applications were also available. As of 2010, cell phones have some sort of PIM features, although basic phones lack the option to download applications for extensive personal management.
Additional Facts
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According to Wirefly, as of September 2006, there were over 2.5 billion cell phone subscribers worldwide. Statistics also show that 72 percent of Americans own cell phones. Exclusive cell phone usage--that is, omitting one's land line and only using a cell phone--within the United States is also climbing. Approximately 20 percent of Americans also access the Internet from a mobile phone.
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References
- Photo Credit cell phone image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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But why do they call them cell phones?
