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Old 23rd Aug 2019, 10:05 am   #29
Pellseinydd
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Flintshire, UK.
Posts: 707
Default Re: My first mobile phone (1992)

Quote:
Originally Posted by rambo1152 View Post
of course mobile phones have been around for much longer than even the old analogue cellular network.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR4hoSh0Ols

I didn't know anyone who had one of those, but a friend of mine had the latter iteration on South Lancs Radiophone, which I believe was called "System 3". It still needed an operator.

Did anyone use "National Band 3" trunked radio system for work?
South Lancs Radiophone was 'System 1' I remember that opening as I had just started with the GPO in Chester and we were just within its service area - 'System Two' was a 9 channel system (plus another for calling) introduced in the early 1970's, still working via the operator both ways=. Then System 3 came along in 1977 with 55 channels and automatic selection of a free channel. 1983 saw System 4 which was the first one which had automatic outgoing dialling rather than via the operator. Calls could be dialled direct to the mobile as well using the various 003X dialling codes followed by the mobile's number. It was interesting that a five/six digit number was allocated to the mobile but to reach it you had to dial the code appropriate to where the vehicle was located at the time - hence the same number could be reached with different codes depending on its location!
We still use the old 003X dialling codes on CNet when we have a number set up on our 'smartphones' - so the old codes still live on!
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