The history of the cellular phone from its humble beginnings as a novelty item to an everyday necessity is a fascinating journey. From that first car battery sized cell phone produced in 1980’s to the sleek modern devices that have become the industry standard.
1947 Douglas H. Ring and W. Rae Young, in association with Bell Labs proposed the first hexagonal cells for mobile phones. Philip Porter also of Bell Labs was the first to propose a system utilizing cell towers at the corners of the hexagons rather than at the centers. These towers would have directional antennae that would transmit in three directions. Unfortunately these innovations would not have immediate impact until the frequency range spectrum could be increased.
1968 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulation that limited radio-spectrum frequencies was increased and allowed research into creating better connections. Prior to this the number of simultaneous conversations in a service area was severely limited. The FCC in cooperation with AT&T and Bell Towers established the infrastructure of broadcast towers that allow modern cell phones to broadcast today.
