First cell and Beeper, 1998, by Carly Fabrikant

From MemoryArchive

Who: Carly Fabrikant
What: First Cell Phone and Beeper
When: 1998
Where: New Jersey

I remember when I got my first cell phone. Looking back on it I remember how big and bulky it was. And how it did not even have a color screen. It was like those huge car phones they used to have in luxury cars, so huge with the big cord. Gosh, the good ole days. Anyway, I remember it was such a huge deal when someone got a cell phone, everyone wanted them. Not only did they want cell phones they wanted beepers. Not the big ones but the small ones. I remember begging my parents to get me one. It took months but finally after all the NO's my father finally gave in. Beepers used to have all these cool codes you could type in that you send people. Kind of like AIM but on a beeper. They were little shortcuts, for example, 911 meant emergency, etc. It was the coolest thing I was going into high school and I had a cell phone and beeper. But of course schools did not allow them, If you got caught with a cell phone or beeper in school that was on, you got them taken away and could get suspended!!! Crazy, I do not know what people would do today if they did not have cell phones. Or what they would have done on 9/11 without them. Now, they even make child cell phones that only have like 3 buttons, so it is easier for them, and they cannot make leisurely calls. I think it is a much a better idea. I also remember the days when there were like hundreds of different carriers and they all had not joined forces. Also, of course the service stunk. But now, having a cell phone is a necessity and instead of beepers people have blackberry's or text message. You can do everything on a cell phone, nothing like they used to be. Now you can go on the internet, and search the web.