Who invented the first cell phone?

History of cell phones

The concept of the cell phone started in 1947 when researchers from Bell Laboratories realized that they could upgrade current mobile car phones to be used outside of the car. These researchers thought that by using small range of service areas (cells), they could increase the traffic capacity and range of mobile phones drastically. However, the technological capability to do this did not exist at the time.

AT&T proposed that the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) allocate a number of radio frequencies so the possibility of widespread cellular service could be researched and implemented. The FCC was reluctant and only allocated a small number of frequencies, which were insufficient for the research.

In 1968, AT&T and Bell Labs proposed a cellular system to the FCC that would use broadcast towers to cover cells of service. As phones traveled, calls would be passed from one cell phone tower to the next. The FCC finally agreed to increase the frequencies allocation.

With this go ahead, AT&T and Bell began working on the technology to make their research become a reality.

Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola is widely considered the inventor of the first modern portable cell phone. In April of 1973, he made the first call on his 2-pound cell phone to Joel Engel, head of research at Bell Laboratories.

Motorola introduced the first cellular phone to the public in 1983. Each 16-oz. "DynaTac" phone was 9 inches long and cost $3,500. Within the next seven years, there would be over a million cell phone subscribers in the U.S.