1G: Back to the Beginning
- Acronym: 1st Generation Wireless
- Telephony: A term used to describe the original (analog) cellular wireless standard.
The first wireless telecommunications was analog cellular telephones that operated in the 800 MHz band with a 30 kHz wide carrier. Because the primary intent was for voice communications, the data rate was limited to between 9.6 Kbps and 14.4 Kbps. The technology also limited the number of users, as each channel could only carry one conversation. This first generation (1G) of wireless telecommunications lasted through the late 80's, when digital technology came onto the scene.
Early analog cellular telephones were large, heavy and expensive. The heaviest part of the telephone was the battery. A common cellular telephone from this time period was the "bag phone", which reduced the weight of the telephone handset by putting the batteries in a shoulder bag connected to the handset via a power cord. Innovations in battery and telephone technology reduced the size and weight over time; however, the telephones were often as large or larger than a standard telephone handset.
Presently, analog cellular is present in the RadioShack line only as a feature on some telephones which can operate on both analog and digital system. |
