History of Wireless Communications
From Building the Wireless Future® to Expanding the Wireless Frontier™

1977

• Experimental cellular systems launch in Chicago and the Washington, D.C./Baltimore region.

1981

• FCC issues Cellular Communications Systems Order, determining the cellular industry should have two carriers per market and creates cellular “A” and “B” licenses for each area of the country.

1982

• Congress passes Communications Amendments Act of 1982, giving the FCC authority to issue licenses by lottery and requiring applicants to meet certain minimal conditions.

• On October 13, the first commercial cellular system begins operating in Chicago. In December 1983, the second system is activated in the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. corridor.
• Motorola introduces the DynaTAC mobile telephone unit, the first truly “mobile” radiotelephone. The phone, dubbed the “brick,” had one hour of talk time and eight hours of standby.

• The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association is founded.

• There are 340,213 cell phone subscribers.

1987

• With media looking on, Baltimore city council president Clarence “Du” Burns places a ceremonial call on the city’s Bell Atlantic service.

1988

• FCC’s Auxiliary Cellular Services Order adopts technical flexibility rules for cellular radio without mandating specific standards, which promotes the introduction of advanced cellular technologies by the industry.

1990

• Cellular subscribership surpasses 5 million.

1992

• The number of cellular users passes the 10 million milestone.
• World’s first commercial text message is sent by employees of Logica CMG.

1993

• Congress adopts Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, which establishes national framework for wireless regulation and authorizes FCC to auction spectrum for the first time. The license auction raises more than $7 billion for the U.S. Treasury.
• The first smart phone (IBM’s Simon) is released to the public and offers consumers a calendar, address book, calculator, email, faxing services and games.

1995

• There are more than 33.8 million wireless subscribers, representing approximately 13% of the total U.S. population.
• The average consumer uses his or her phone for 115 minutes per month and paid $51.

1996

• The Telecommunications Act of 1996 becomes law, in part designed to open other communications markets to competition.

1997

• The wireless industry unveils its “Safety – Your Most Important Call” to help educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.
• Balanced Budget Act of 1997 calls for auctioning additional commercial spectrum by Sept, 2002. Advanced Wireless services (AWS-1) auction concludes Sept. 18, 2006, raising nearly $14 billion for U.S. Treasury.

1998

• The average consumer uses his or her phone for 122 minutes per month and paid $39.43.
• The first “bucket” of minutes plan is offered.

1999

• With the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999, the FCC designates 911 as the universal emergency number of wireline and wireless service and promotes the use of technologies that help public safety service providers locate wireless 911 callers.

Last Updated: February 2011