The First Cell Phone Call Was Made 50 Years Ago Today

On April 3rd, 1973, Martin Cooper made the first cell phone call using a two and a half pound device. The conversation was between him and his rival at AT&T, Joel Engel. This event marked the beginning of mobile telecommunications as we know it today. In 1983, Motorola released a smaller model costing $3,500 to $4,000. Prior attempts at cell phone calls were made in the 1940s with AT&T's Mobile Telephone Service (MTS), which used VHF radio communications and weighed 80 pounds. Today, telecommunications has advanced significantly, allowing for various forms of communication beyond voice calls.