Farley- 'Mobile telephone history'
Throughout ‘Mobile telephone history’, Tom Farley gives us the history of mobile telephones and how they have evolved into one of the most important communication tools of our lives. Just as the internet began, the history of mobile phones began in the World War II era where the United States military utilized it as specially created two-way radios. After the war, civilian communication could finally become a fundamental focus. Considering that The United States was still physically intact unlike some countries, there had been great demand, plenty of research facilities and manufacturing capability to expand the mobile phone. In 1946, AT&T produced the first mobile radio service called MTS (Mobile Telephone Service). A couple more channels such as the Bell System and other Radio Common Carriers emerged three years from the FCC that only began the trials for the new communication systems. It wasn’t until 1977 that AT&T and Bell Labs immerged with a new cellular system. The competition between the United States, Sweden and Japan was intense to try to create the first cell phone. The United States government regulation caused the slow progression of cell phones because of the fear of monopolies and high monthly rates. In 1979, Japan launched the first commercial cellular service in the world. Farley elaborates on the development of the cell phone technologies as the time continued the new systems were established and widely used. In the 1980’s satellites were utilized to transmit signals from one phone to another. The competition stimulated the market and more products and services were created.
In this day and age, cell phones have become essentially an extension of our hands as we wake up to the alarm and use the calculator to figure out tips at meals and we text continuously throughout the day and simply calling people on cell phones is just a minor feature. Our society has become so reliant on the use of cell phones that we have a panic attack any time we accidently leave it at home. The first ideas of cell phones were established by putting the pay phones on trains, this allowed the public to physically see the possibility of “mobile technology”. These days the possibilities of mobility are becoming endless, now you can send pictures through phones, access the internet or simply call a friend from essentially anywhere around the world. Cell phones have evolved the way we connect with one another as our society’s needs change as we can see it has already even within its short timeline.
-Julie Whelan