| DEFINITION |
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| SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES |
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A cell phone in its most simplistic definition, is a wireless
and completely mobile telephone. It is the first ubiquitous wireless telephone.
Originally analog, all new cellular systems are digital, which has enabled
the cellphone to turn into a smart phone that has access to the Internet.
Digital cellphone systems are also offered in the PCS band, which is radio
spectrum that was auctioned off by the U.S. government in the mid-1990s.
The concept behind a cell phone system is that numerous base stations are
used, each covering a cell (small geographic area) that only slightly overlaps
adjacent cells at the borders. The multiple cells combined with low power
transmitters allow the same frequencies to be reused with different conversations
in different cells within the same city or locale. Illustration
and information provided by TechEncyclopedia.
Over 150 million Americans own and operate a cell phone.That is 62% of the population. Cellular Phones appeal to many different demographic groups from teenagers to senior citizens, from students to professionals. However, with the age group with the most cellular usage is ages 25-54. 52% of cell phone users are female and the remaining 48% are male.. Over 5% of teenagers use a cell phone to keep in constant contact with his or her parents and friends and with the continuously decreasing price, a larger amount of college students are able to purchase a mobile phone. More parents are buying cell phones for the children to aid in communicating between everyday events and ermergencies. Employers also provide cell phones for their employees on the move in order for them to keep in contact with their business associates and clientel. Information provided by Scarborough.com.
Nokia.com
Motorola.com
Samsung.com
Samsung.com
There are two parts to cellular phone usage, the phone itself and the service provider. In order to receive usage you must purchase a phone and then pay a continuing fee to the service provider. There are companies who manufacture the phones and others whose service gives the phone area coverage. It is up to the consumer to pick both the phone and service provider that best fits his or her needs.
Top 5 Cellular Phone Manufacturers: Provided by Electronic Business Online.
Over 150 million Americans own and operate a cell phone.That is 62% of the population. Cellular Phones appeal to many different demographic groups from teenagers to senior citizens, from students to professionals. However, with the age group with the most cellular usage is ages 25-54. 52% of cell phone users are female and the remaining 48% are male.. Over 5% of teenagers use a cell phone to keep in constant contact with his or her parents and friends and with the continuously decreasing price, a larger amount of college students are able to purchase a mobile phone. More parents are buying cell phones for the children to aid in communicating between everyday events and ermergencies. Employers also provide cell phones for their employees on the move in order for them to keep in contact with their business associates and clientel. Information provided by Scarborough.com.
Nokia.com
Motorola.com
Samsung.com
Samsung.com
There are two parts to cellular phone usage, the phone itself and the service provider. In order to receive usage you must purchase a phone and then pay a continuing fee to the service provider. There are companies who manufacture the phones and others whose service gives the phone area coverage. It is up to the consumer to pick both the phone and service provider that best fits his or her needs.
Top 5 Cellular Phone Manufacturers: Provided by Electronic Business Online.
Top 5 Wireless Service Providers: Provided by
The Lycos 50: Daily Report
The different specifications and features of cellular phones depend greatly on both the service provider and the phone manufacturer. On average, most phones are smaller, able to fit into one's pocket and easy to carry, such as the Nokia 7160. A large, easy to read screen is also an essential part to phones on the market. Protective casing is also an important feature of cellular phones since your mobile phone goes with you everywhere and is sometimes easy to forget you have it with you, therefore you are not as cautious to protect it.
Many of the phones on the market, besides providing mobile calling, provide their customers with features such as text messaging, personal phone books, calendars, multilingual menu options, caller ID, voicemail, wireless web access, games, numerous polyphonic and monophonic ring tones, internet chat, and even a digital camera. The Samsung SGH-V205 is a perfect example of these efficient, multitasking phones.
All of the distinct features give the user a completely personal phone. With the ability to use the phone as a PDA, or have one's favorite song as a ringer makes cellular phones ever more popular.
A typical cost of owning a cell phone consists of many things. You first purchase the phone itself which can range from no fee to a cost of 500 dollars, depending on the features you wish your phone to have. Before gaining access to your phone, you must also pay an activation charge which on average is around $25. Once paying the access fee most wireless service providers charge the user a monthly coverage fee, which also depends on how many monthly and night and weekend minutes the user needs. If the user goes over the number of minutes given to him or her in one month, he or she is charged a certain amount for every air time minute, which is any minute over the monthly minute. Depending on the user's contract a long distance charge can also be placed. Information provided by Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In recent years, however, some carriers are allowing consumers to "pre-pay" their cellular phone bill. This form of payment can keep the user from going over his or her alotted minutes and give him or her the financial freedom to decide when they need to purchase more minutes. Some of the carriers which are providing this new form of payment are Verizon Wireless and Voicestream. Information proviced by 1st-in-Cell-Phones.com.
This invention led to the cell phones that are on the market today. Through the years the cell phone met with the trends of convergence, miniturization, and personalization which produced the cellular phones we now know today. Information provided by Telephonetribute.com
The cellular phone market penetration in the United States is an estimated 62% and is increasing rapidly. With the continual decrease in the costs of cell phone ownership and the more efficient phones will add to the increase of market penetration. The American cities with the highest penetration are Houston, TX with 74%, Atlanta, GA, with 73% and Honolulu, HI with 70%. Surprisingly the largest cities in the country fall somewhere in the middle of the rankings. Information provided by Scarborough.com
One of the most innovative and interesting ideas to ever hit cellular technology is intended to be released within the year. Telecommunications companies Telespree and Dieceland have both created a disposable cell phone which they hope will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The "Talk and Toss" phones will act as calling cards having a 30 or 60 minute limit and after the user has reached the limit, he or she can just simply throw it away. The price for these disposables will range from $10-$30. The companies are quoted saying, "Seniors might prefer them for their ease of use. Travelers fearing loss or theft of their expensive cell phones could pick up a disposable from an airport kiosk. And parents could stick a phone in their children's pockets to encourage them to call home if they're running late." Information provided by Business Week Online.
As with everything else in the digital world, convergence is a trend that can be seen in the relm of cellular phones. Manufacturers keep adding more and more to their phones. One of the latest additions is adding a digital camera to the phone and the capability of sending it via wireless service. The phones are also equipped with the memory to hold a certain number of pictures. A user also has the ability to take pictures of his or her friends and the picture will appear on the screen rather than the number when the friend is calling.
Cell phones can immediately connect the user with anyone. The can also provide a form on much needed contact during an emergency. Cell phones aid parents in keeping track of their always on the movie children and they help professionals keep in touch with their clientel. With converging technologies consumers have cell phones available to them which provide much more than wireless calling. These smart phones act as personal digital assistants and help keep an organized schedule in such a busy world.
Cellular phones also have a downside to them. Many people believe that cell phones are one of the reasons in the increase of brain cancer in the last decade. There have been studies done explaining how cell phones cause cancer or have no effect. See Health24.com
Another issue concerning mobile phones is driving. Talking on one's cell phone while driving can be a dangerous thing. It is just another distraction while controlling a potentially fatal car. See Cell Phones and Driving, An Investigation of the Safety Implications of Wireless Communications in Vehicles.
As seen above, many automobile accidents are caused by cellular phones or the attention paid to them rather than the road. This makes cell phones a threat to public safety and has led some states to debate on whether or not to pass legislation prohibiting drivers from using their cell phones while in the car. New York was the first state to pass legislation of this kind. The law prohibits drivers from using hand-held mobile phones while driving and if found doing so they are sussecptible to heavy fines. Hands-free phones are acceptable. Information provided by CNN.com.
Cell phones are and will continue to be extremely successful. Their universal appeal will continue to bring consumers from every market and demographic. The cellular phone technology will continue to grow over time and converge with such things as PC's and digital television. It has already converged with such technologies as personal digital assistants and digital cameras. The phones will continue to get smaller yet continue to provide more and more diverse tools and resources. In the future legislation will continue to be passed concerning cellular technology and health risks. The only thing that could harm this market would be the discovery of negative health effects. Cell phones will always connect people to each other, whether a block away or around the globe.
PERSONALIZATION: THE STUDY OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS MEGATREND
EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS: A COMPANY PROFILE
CHRISTOPHER J. WILSON
CJWILSON@BSU.EDU
MARCH 31, 2003
The different specifications and features of cellular phones depend greatly on both the service provider and the phone manufacturer. On average, most phones are smaller, able to fit into one's pocket and easy to carry, such as the Nokia 7160. A large, easy to read screen is also an essential part to phones on the market. Protective casing is also an important feature of cellular phones since your mobile phone goes with you everywhere and is sometimes easy to forget you have it with you, therefore you are not as cautious to protect it.
Many of the phones on the market, besides providing mobile calling, provide their customers with features such as text messaging, personal phone books, calendars, multilingual menu options, caller ID, voicemail, wireless web access, games, numerous polyphonic and monophonic ring tones, internet chat, and even a digital camera. The Samsung SGH-V205 is a perfect example of these efficient, multitasking phones.
All of the distinct features give the user a completely personal phone. With the ability to use the phone as a PDA, or have one's favorite song as a ringer makes cellular phones ever more popular.
A typical cost of owning a cell phone consists of many things. You first purchase the phone itself which can range from no fee to a cost of 500 dollars, depending on the features you wish your phone to have. Before gaining access to your phone, you must also pay an activation charge which on average is around $25. Once paying the access fee most wireless service providers charge the user a monthly coverage fee, which also depends on how many monthly and night and weekend minutes the user needs. If the user goes over the number of minutes given to him or her in one month, he or she is charged a certain amount for every air time minute, which is any minute over the monthly minute. Depending on the user's contract a long distance charge can also be placed. Information provided by Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In recent years, however, some carriers are allowing consumers to "pre-pay" their cellular phone bill. This form of payment can keep the user from going over his or her alotted minutes and give him or her the financial freedom to decide when they need to purchase more minutes. Some of the carriers which are providing this new form of payment are Verizon Wireless and Voicestream. Information proviced by 1st-in-Cell-Phones.com.
-
1946 First commercial mobile telephone service.
-
1962 Cellular technology demonstrated to the United States Federal Communications Commission.
-
1978 First service trial of Bell Labs-developed cellular system, Chicago.
-
1980 Digital cellular telephone technology, offering better sound quality, greater channel capacity and lower cost than analog.
This invention led to the cell phones that are on the market today. Through the years the cell phone met with the trends of convergence, miniturization, and personalization which produced the cellular phones we now know today. Information provided by Telephonetribute.com
The cellular phone market penetration in the United States is an estimated 62% and is increasing rapidly. With the continual decrease in the costs of cell phone ownership and the more efficient phones will add to the increase of market penetration. The American cities with the highest penetration are Houston, TX with 74%, Atlanta, GA, with 73% and Honolulu, HI with 70%. Surprisingly the largest cities in the country fall somewhere in the middle of the rankings. Information provided by Scarborough.com
One of the most innovative and interesting ideas to ever hit cellular technology is intended to be released within the year. Telecommunications companies Telespree and Dieceland have both created a disposable cell phone which they hope will appeal to a large variety of consumers. The "Talk and Toss" phones will act as calling cards having a 30 or 60 minute limit and after the user has reached the limit, he or she can just simply throw it away. The price for these disposables will range from $10-$30. The companies are quoted saying, "Seniors might prefer them for their ease of use. Travelers fearing loss or theft of their expensive cell phones could pick up a disposable from an airport kiosk. And parents could stick a phone in their children's pockets to encourage them to call home if they're running late." Information provided by Business Week Online.
As with everything else in the digital world, convergence is a trend that can be seen in the relm of cellular phones. Manufacturers keep adding more and more to their phones. One of the latest additions is adding a digital camera to the phone and the capability of sending it via wireless service. The phones are also equipped with the memory to hold a certain number of pictures. A user also has the ability to take pictures of his or her friends and the picture will appear on the screen rather than the number when the friend is calling.
- Cell Phones' Flaws Imperil 911 Response
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- Study Examines Cell Phones, Traffic Accidents
- Lower energy power management for cell phones
- Tech-loaded cell phones may be Next Big Thing
- Hop-On Disposable Cell Phones Featured at CTIA Wireless 2003
- New Cell Phones Smarter, More Fun
Cell phones can immediately connect the user with anyone. The can also provide a form on much needed contact during an emergency. Cell phones aid parents in keeping track of their always on the movie children and they help professionals keep in touch with their clientel. With converging technologies consumers have cell phones available to them which provide much more than wireless calling. These smart phones act as personal digital assistants and help keep an organized schedule in such a busy world.
Cellular phones also have a downside to them. Many people believe that cell phones are one of the reasons in the increase of brain cancer in the last decade. There have been studies done explaining how cell phones cause cancer or have no effect. See Health24.com
Another issue concerning mobile phones is driving. Talking on one's cell phone while driving can be a dangerous thing. It is just another distraction while controlling a potentially fatal car. See Cell Phones and Driving, An Investigation of the Safety Implications of Wireless Communications in Vehicles.
As seen above, many automobile accidents are caused by cellular phones or the attention paid to them rather than the road. This makes cell phones a threat to public safety and has led some states to debate on whether or not to pass legislation prohibiting drivers from using their cell phones while in the car. New York was the first state to pass legislation of this kind. The law prohibits drivers from using hand-held mobile phones while driving and if found doing so they are sussecptible to heavy fines. Hands-free phones are acceptable. Information provided by CNN.com.
Cell phones are and will continue to be extremely successful. Their universal appeal will continue to bring consumers from every market and demographic. The cellular phone technology will continue to grow over time and converge with such things as PC's and digital television. It has already converged with such technologies as personal digital assistants and digital cameras. The phones will continue to get smaller yet continue to provide more and more diverse tools and resources. In the future legislation will continue to be passed concerning cellular technology and health risks. The only thing that could harm this market would be the discovery of negative health effects. Cell phones will always connect people to each other, whether a block away or around the globe.
- TechEncyclopedia
- Scarborough.com
- Nokia.com
- Motorola.com
- Samsung.com
- Electronic Business Online
- The Lycos 50: Daily Report
- Nokia 7160
- Samsung SGH-V205
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Verizon Wireless
- Voicestream
- 1st-in-Cell-Phones.com
- uweb.ucsb.edu
- Health24.com
- Cell Phones and Driving
- CNN.com
PERSONALIZATION: THE STUDY OF A TELECOMMUNICATIONS MEGATREND
EMMIS COMMUNICATIONS: A COMPANY PROFILE
CHRISTOPHER J. WILSON
CJWILSON@BSU.EDU