| 1947 |
Bell Laboratories introduced the idea of cellular communications with the police car technology. |
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| 1947 |
The basic concept of cellular phones began, when researchers looked at crude mobile (car) phones and realized that by using small cells (range of service area) with frequency reuse they could increase the traffic capacity of mobile phones substantially. However at that time, the technology to do so was nonexistent. |
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| 1947 |
AT&T proposed that the FCC allocate a large number of radio-spectrum frequencies so that widespread mobile telephone service would become feasible. |
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| 1947 |
The FCC decided to limit the amount of frequencies available, the limits made only twenty-three phone conversations possible simultaneously in the same service area. |
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| 1968 |
AT&T and Bell Labs proposed a cellular system to the FCC of many small, low-powered, broadcast towers, each covering a 'cell' a few miles in radius and collectively covering a larger area. Each tower would use only a few of the total frequencies allocated to the system. As the phones traveled across the area, calls would be passed from tower to tower. |
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| 1968 |
The FCC reconsidered its position by stating "if the technology to build a better mobile service works, we will increase the frequencies allocation, freeing the airwaves for more mobile phones." |
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| 1973 (April) |
The first call on a portable cell phone is made by Dr Martin Cooper, a former general manager for the systems division at Motorola, who is also considered the inventor of the first modern portable handset. |
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| 1977 |
AT&T and Bell Labs had constructed a prototype cellular system. A year later, public trials of the new system were started in Chicago with over 2000 trial customers. |
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| 1979 |
The first commercial cellular telephone system began operation in Tokyo. |
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| 1980 |
Analog cellular telephone systems were experiencing rapid growth in Europe, particularly in Scandinavia, United Kingdom, France and Germany. Each country developed its own system, which was incompatible with everyone else's in equipment and operation |
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| 1981 |
Motorola and American Radio telephone started a second U.S. cellular radio-telephone system test in the Washington/Baltimore area. |
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| 1982 |
FCC authorizes commercial cellular service for the USA. |
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| 1982 |
The Conference of European Posts and Telegraphs (CEPT) formed a study group called the Groupe Spécial Mobile (GSM) to study and develop a pan-European public land mobile system. The proposed system had to meet certain criteria:
- Good subjective speech quality
- Low terminal and service cost
- Support for international roaming
- Ability to support handheld terminals
- Support for range of new services and facilities
- Spectral efficiency
- ISDN compatibility
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| 1983 |
The first American commercial analog cellular service or AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service) was made available in Chicago by Ameritech. |
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| 1987 |
Cellular telephone subscribers exceeded one million and the airways were crowded. |
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| 1989 |
GSM responsibility was transferred to the European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI), |
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| 1990 |
Phase I of the GSM specifications were published. |
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| 1991 |
Commercial launch of cellular service based on GSM standard in Finland. |
