History of Mobile Phones and Their Inventors

AdTechID ---- A mobile phone or cellular phone (abbreviated as a mobile phone) or mobile phone (abbreviated as HP) is an electronic telecommunications device that has the same basic capabilities as a conventional fixed-line telephone.

But it can be carried everywhere and does not need to be connected to the telephone network using wires. The agency that regulates 1-G telecommunications was the first real mobile phone. 

History of the Invention of Mobile Phones

In 1973, Martin Cooper of Motorola Corp. invented the first mobile phone and it was introduced to the public on April 3, 1973.  The mobile phone invented by Cooper weighed 30 ounces or about 800 grams.

The inventor of the first mobile phone was Martin Cooper, an employee of Motorola on April 03, 1973.

Although many are said to be the inventors of mobile phones was a team from one of Motorola's divisions (the division where Cooper worked) with the first model being the DynaTAC.

The idea came up by Cooper was a small communication tool that is easy to carry around flexibly. Cooper and his team faced the challenge of how to incorporate all electronic materials into the small device for the first time.

But finally the first mobile phone was successfully completed with a total weight of two kilograms.To produce it, Motorola costs the equivalent of US$1 million. In 1983, a portable mobile phone cost US$4 thousand equivalent to US$10 thousand.

After successfully producing mobile phones, the next biggest challenge is to adapt the infrastructure to support the mobile phone communication system. 

By creating a network system that only requires a 3 MHz spectrum, equivalent to five TV channels distributed throughout the world.

Another figure who is known to be very instrumental in the world of mobile communication is Amos Joel Jr. who was born in Philadelphia, March 12, 1918.

He is indeed recognized by the world as an expert in the field of switching. He earned a bachelor's (1940) and master's (1942) diploma in electronic engineering from MIT. 

Not long after his studies, he began a 43-year career (from July 1940-March 1983) at Bell Telephone Laboratories, where he received more than 70 American patents in the field of telecommunications, specifically in the field of switching.

Amos E Joel Jr, made a mobile phone switching system from one cell region to another. This switching should work when the mobile phone user moves or moves from one cell to another so that the conversation is not interrupted. 

It was because of the invention of Amos Joel that the use of mobile phones became convenient.

The Development of Mobile Phones from Time to Time

Generation 0

Handie-talkie SCR536

The history of the invention of mobile phones cannot be separated from the development of radio. The beginning of the invention of mobile phones began in 1921 when the Detroit Michigan Police Department tried to use a one-way car phone. 

Then, in 1928 the Detroit Police began using regular one-way communication radios on all patrol cars with a frequency of 2 MHz. 

On the development of  Subsequently, radio communication developed into a two-way with frequency modulated (FM).

In 1940, Galvin Manufactory Corporation (now Motorola) developed the portable Handie-talkie SCR536, which means a communication device on the battlefield during World War II.

This period is the generation of 0 mobile phones or 0-G, where mobile phones began to be introduced.

After issuing the SCR536, then in 1943 Galvin Manufactory Corporation re-issued the first portable FM two-way radio named SCR300 with a backpack model for the U.S. army.  The tool weighs about 35 pounds and can work effectively within 10 to 20 miles.

The 0-G mobile phone system still uses a VHF radio system to connect the phone directly on the PSTN landline. The weakness of this system is a problem with the congestion network which then gives rise to attempts to replace this system.

Generation 0 ended with the invention of the modern concept by engineers from Bell Labs in 1947. They invented the concept of using hexagonal telephones as the basis for mobile phones. However, this concept was developed only in the 1960s.

Generation I

1G generation mobile phones

The first generation of mobile phones is also called 1G. 1-G is the first real mobile phone.  In 1973, Martin Cooper of Motorola Corp. invented the first mobile phone and it was introduced to the public on April 3, 1973. 

The mobile phone invented by Cooper weighed 30 ounces or about 800 grams. It is this discovery that has changed the world forever.  

The technology used by 1-G is still analog and is known as AMPS. AMPS uses frequencies between 825 Mhz- 894 Mhz and is operated on the 800 Mhz Band. Because it is analogous, the system used is still regional.

One of the shortcomings of the 1-G generation is that it is too large to be held by hand. This large size is due to the need for power and poor battery performance.

In addition, the 1-G generation still has problems with user mobility. When making a call, the user's mobility is limited to the coverage area of the mobile phone.

Generation II

2G generation mobile phones

The second generation or 2-G appeared in about the 1990s. 2G in America already uses CDMA technology, while in Europe it uses GSM technology. 

GSM uses a standard frequency of 900 Mhz and a frequency of 1800 Mhz. With that frequency, GSM has a larger customer capacity. 

In the 2G generation the analog signal has been replaced with a digital signal.  The use of digital signals equips mobile phones with voicemail, call waiting, and SMS. 

Mobile phones in this generation also have a smaller size and lighter due to the use of digital chip technology.  The smaller size is also due to the need for smaller battery power. 

The advantages of the 2G generation are smaller size and weight and lower radio signals, thereby reducing the harmful effects of radiation on users.

In 2G there are 2 standards for the telecommunications world, namely Enhance Datarates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) and General Packet Radio Service (GPRS).

Generation III

3G-based smartphones

This generation is also called 3G which allows network operators to give their users wider coverage, including the internet as well as high-tech video calls. 

In 3G there are 5 standards for the telecommunications world, namely Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Wideband-CDMA, and CDMA 2000. 

In this generation, mobile phones began to be included in the operating system (which is often called smartphones) so as to make the features more complete and even close to the functions of a personal computer. 

The operating systems used include Android, iOS, Symbian, and Windows Mobile.

Generation IV

4G-based smartphones

This generation is also called the Fourth Generation (4G). 4G is a mobile phone system that offers new approaches and infrastructure solutions that integrate existing wireless technologies including Wireless Broadband (WiBro), 802.16e, CDMA, wireless LAN, Bluetooth, and others. 

4G systems based on the heterogeneity of IP networks that allow users to use a variety of systems anytime and anywhere. 

4G also gives its users high speed, high volume, good quality, global reach, and flexibility to explore a variety of different technologies. 

Finally, 4G provides fast data transmission services to accommodate various multimedia applications such as video conferencing, online games, and others.

Generation V

5G-based smartphones

This generation is also called the Fifth Generation (5G).

5G or Fifth Generation is a term used to refer to the fifth generation as the next phase of the mobile telecommunications standard exceeding the 4G standard.

This fifth-generation technology was officially released for mobile operating systems in 2020.

The history of mobile phones and their inventors hopefully can inspire you to try to innovate in technology.  Adding to your insight into mobile phones can appreciate the mobile phone that is so complicated in its invention.