First cell phone

Originally Posted by opus1
My first cell phone looked something like this:

[Linked Image]


My job at the time partnered with Cingular and I was paying per-minute for every minute used (this is important later). There was some sort of a promotion going on where I was supposed to get a credit in my bill for the phone's activation fee and when I didn't get the credit I called customer service. The rep was able to find evidence that there was a promotion going on at the time I signed up, but since it was over when I called to complain, they couldn't retroactively give me the credit so they gave me 2 months of free minutes - no limit.

When I finished those 2 months, it turns out that it would have been cheaper for the rep to find another way to get me that credit...I used that phone for everything, including using the phone for customer support calls rather than the rotating phone that the company gave for people on-call
lol.gif


The 5100 Series I had used a stubby fixed antenna.

[Linked Image from nokiamuseum.info]
 
Man that's one expensive happy meal.

Mine was a Nokia 5100 something back in 2000, I remember unlimited mobile to mobile was a thing and if you have a girlfriend you need to make sure you guys are on the same network, or it would be expensive. I remember the battery swap and external battery charger too. That thing was indestructible, until my wife pour a bottle of Starbuck Frappie on it inside her purse.
 
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Mine was also a Nokia 5100. It worked great until my toddler threw it into the baby pool. Upgraded to a Motorola flip phone. Thought it would be the last phone I ever needed to buy.
 
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Mine was a hand me down Nokia 6061, on Cingular... parents gave it to me when I was in 6th grade. It was free to call people after 9pm, unless you were calling someone else on Cingular. Had no texting and no data, could only make phone calls.

[Linked Image]



My friend had that Nokia as his second cell phone. First one was like a car phone. Not portable.

Mine was the Nokia 3310. A blue tank of a phone with monochrome green screen that you could play the snake game on. It lasted over 4 years before the battery started to get weak. Never actually died on me and I lost it sometime after upgrading to a Motorola flip phone.
 
Nokia 5100 series on Cingular. Was a great phone for what it did - you know, make phone calls! Only got rid of it when I changed carriers... would not die!
 
Motorola StarTAC 85, I think it was '96. Verizon and had to have an external antenna. Service today in less expensive
 
Originally Posted by PandaBear
Man that's one expensive happy meal.

Mine was a Nokia 5100 something back in 2000, I remember unlimited mobile to mobile was a thing and if you have a girlfriend you need to make sure you guys are on the same network, or it would be expensive. I remember the battery swap and external battery charger too. That thing was indestructible, until my wife pour a bottle of Starbuck Frappie on it inside her purse.

I never got that kind of deal. I think it was a few more years before I could make calls anywhere with unlimited long distance. I do remember mobile to mobile in the same network was unlimited with AT&T.

That thing was hard to destroy, but it was pretty easy to scratch. These days an iPhone is difficult to scratch, but if you drop it the glass can get messed up. Right now I'm living with a tiny crack in the corner. Not sure if I can get it serviced now.
 
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
Mine was the Nokia 3310. A blue tank of a phone with monochrome green screen that you could play the snake game on. It lasted over 4 years before the battery started to get weak. Never actually died on me and I lost it sometime after upgrading to a Motorola flip phone.

I had one to replace my 5100 Series. I gave my 5100 to my mom. She didn't get a new phone until my parents offered to share a family plan with me.

I dropped mine once (about 3 feet onto concrete) and it was really weird what happened. I could still make and receive calls, but the display was completely scrambled. It looked like a series of random dots like an old TV that wasn't tuned. I had to get the number exactly correct and without the display it was hard to figure out how to correct the number. Obviously I couldn't play snake. It was less than a year of ownership and still under warranty. I left a note admitting that it was dropped and gave my contact information if I had to pay for the repair. I was skeptical that they'd do anything other than ask me to pay for the repair. I'm guessing the ribbon cable was likely jarred and creating a misalignment. I did get it back repaired, where the invoice said it had a new cable and a good cleaning. I've had similar warranty service too. Returned a non-working Maglite Solitaire. It was stored on a keychain where the anodized surface had scraped/rubbed off. It was dented. The lens was scratched. I was on the spare bulb. Strangely enough I got it back - still in the same cosmetic condition, but with a new lens and two new bulbs and probably new internals. I was surprised they didn't just give me a new one, but that's what they did.
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Any one remember the bag phones?

Originally Posted by tcp71
motorola bag phone from work.
[Linked Image]

That was my first cell phone, too. Wasn't the battery lead-acid? Dry, though.

Hello, Central.
 
Originally Posted by JerryBob
Mine was also a Nokia 5100. It worked great until my toddler threw it into the baby pool. Upgraded to a Motorola flip phone. Thought it would be the last phone I ever needed to buy.


Talking about baby pool, how do you keep the water clean without dumping out massive amount of water all the time? I had 3 5100 in the family and the last one was "recalled" by Cingular when they switch off the 2G network and they gave me a 3G Nokia for free to "upgrade" to 3G. I remember the eye of the sales when he saw what I trade in and what I got for free, it was like I trade in used oil and got Mobil1 for free.
 
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my first cell phone was in 2014 , had to have one for work...otherwise I wouldn't have one... if the one I have craps out or whatever ...I'll never have another... can you tell how much I like phones ...lol
 
1990

It was a 1988 phone,
I paid $700 cash for it. I think it was $80 a month for service and it was 60 minutes - a MONTH.
A measly 60 minutes for the whole month.


[Linked Image from i2.cdn.turner.com]
 
Would have been about 2004, as we were expecting. I think it was a flip phone, but really don't remember. I didn't know about GSM or CDMA, and wound up with a GSM, and it turns out... no service within 20 miles of home. I wasn't happy but I figured I wasn't going to use it much & whenever I was within 20 miles of home I probably was headed to or from work, so, not much could be done if someone needed to talk to me.

I sure made sure the next one was a CDMA!

After having kids I kept the phone but usually carried it around with it turned off. Always on a computer or in the car, figured the wife could get a hold of me there. The phone was for my convenience not anyone else's. Excellent battery life as a result!
 
I worked in Bell Labs. They gave us AT&T Bag phones - which were car phones with a huge battery. 5 watts TX.

I still have it! Beautiful handset with big lighted push-buttons on the back.

photo off the internet :

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by Donald
I remember trying to send a text with those old phones with only a numeric keyboard. What a PIA.

I think it might have been easier--memorize the keyboard, and then one could go by touch. Practically have to stare at the thing now, there is no tactile feel whatsoever.

I guess there is this "swiping" thing that can be done now, haven't figured that out yet.
 
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Originally Posted by supton
Originally Posted by Donald
I remember trying to send a text with those old phones with only a numeric keyboard. What a PIA.

I think it might have been easier--memorize the keyboard, and then one could go by touch. Practically have to stare at the thing now, there is no tactile feel whatsoever.

I guess there is this "swiping" thing that can be done now, haven't figured that out yet.

There are haptic feedback touchscreens that give a little vibration each time a "key" is accepted. I turn it off, but there's also a sound to register each time a touch is recognized.
 
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