| The concept of mobile phone service was definitely a | | | | and was shaped like a brick, it was truly mobile. |
| turning point in communications history. From the walkie | | | | With Mr Coopers invention the technology emerged |
| talkie concept to the miniature phones in our pockets | | | | into the idea of cell technology. This technology used |
| today. Even some of the details of mobile phone | | | | antennas emitting signal in a hexagonal direction hence |
| history are sketchy and often refuted because of the | | | | calling it a cell. You may notice on cell towers that |
| fierce race in competition to be the first. | | | | there are usually two or three antennas pointing in one |
| The first mobile phone concept evolved from the two | | | | direction. These antennas point the signal in an area |
| way radio systems that started back in the 1940's. | | | | (cell) and other towers point their signals into |
| The first radio telephone probably began in 1946 when | | | | neighboring areas (cells). These cells even though they |
| AT&T started using the push to talk feature in | | | | overlap at times, are pointed in directions that meet at |
| conjunction with a manual operator. AT&T and | | | | the edges of each cell, giving full coverage in most |
| Southwestern Bell began MTS the first mobile | | | | cases. |
| telephone service in St Louis MO. | | | | Frequency reuse then came into play where one cell |
| This evolved into the 1970s when the FCC allocated | | | | works on the previous cell frequency, and the calls can |
| new frequencies just for land mobile communications. | | | | be handed off when one goes from one cell into |
| They were known as IMTS, for improved mobile | | | | another. This concept gives us uninterrupted cell |
| telephone service, and were actually radios connected | | | | service. You can start talking while on the road and |
| to land lines. These were hard wired in the car with the | | | | even cover several states without loosing coverage. |
| push to talk feature and only one person speaking at | | | | Now the cell coverage is so advanced that the |
| the same time, they also used licensed towers and | | | | companies can offer internet through the cell system. |
| others could actually listen in over their scanners. But | | | | From the first true mobile phone in 1973, to the palm |
| this was still radio technology. | | | | sized phone, and even that which has evolved into a |
| In 1973 Mr Martin Cooper stood on a Manhattan street | | | | hand held computer on which you can surf the web |
| corner and placed a call to his competition at Bell Labs | | | | and talk at the same time. The first mobile phone |
| acknowledging to them that he had actually made the | | | | invention was a race to be first, now the race is to be |
| first call from a true mobile phone, one you could carry | | | | the biggest, the competition is still on. |
| anywhere. Even though it weighed about 30 ounces | | | | |