Communication Technology Update, 9th Edition

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Wireless Telephony

Philip J. Auter, Ph.D. & Tyrone Adams, Ph.D.^*

If you walk around almost any urban or suburban area and observe carefully, you may notice two related trends—almost everyone from 12 to 75 has a cell phone and seems to be using it constantly. Meanwhile, payphones are disappearing (Bunkley, 2004).

U.S. society has become dependant upon cellular technology and personal communication services (PCS), primarily for instantaneous phone conversations, but also for instant messaging, gaming, taking and sending photos, and a host of other uses. Phones have evolved from large and clunky mobile car phones in the 1970s and 1980s to slim, sleek, multifunctional devices.

Background

The history of the cellular telephone begins with the history ...