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Cell Phone New Zealand |
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A mobile or cellular telephone is a
long-range, portable electronic device for personal
telecommunications over long distances.
Most current mobile phones connect to a cellular network of base
stations (cell sites), which is in turn interconnected to the
public switched telephone network (PSTN) (the exception are
satellite phones). Cellular networks were first introduced in
the early to mid 1980s (the 1G generation). Prior mobile phones
operating without a cellular network (the so-called 0G
generation), such as Mobile Telephone Service, date back to
1945. Until the mid to late 1980s, most mobile phones were
sufficiently large that they were permanently installed in
vehicles as car phones. With the advance of miniaturization,
currently the vast majority of mobile phones are handheld. In
addition to the standard voice function of a telephone, a mobile
phone can support many additional services such as SMS for text
messaging, email, packet switching for access to the Internet,
and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video.
The world's largest mobile phone manufacturers include Audiovox,
BenQ-Siemens, High Tech Computer Corporation, Fujitsu, Kyocera,
LG, Motorola, NEC,[i-mate], Nokia, Panasonic (Matsushita
Electric), Pantech Curitel, Philips, Sagem, Samsung, Sanyo,
Sharp, Siemens SK Teletech, Sony Ericsson, T&A Alcatel, and
Toshiba.
The world's largest mobile phone operators (based on customer
totals) include China Mobile, Vodafone, and China Unicom.
There are also specialist communication systems related to, but
distinct from mobile phones, such as Professional Mobile Radio.
Mobile phones are also distinct from cordless telephones, which
generally operate only within a limited range of a specific base
station. Technically, the term mobile phone includes such
devices as satellite phones and pre-cellular mobile phones such
as those operating via MTS which do not have a cellular network,
whereas the related term cell(ular) phone does not. In practice,
the two terms are used nearly interchangeably, with the
preferred term varying by location.
History and Development of the Cell Phone
Dr. Marty Cooper is widely considered to be the inventor of the
cell phone. Using a modern, if somewhat heavy portable handset,
Cooper made the first call on a cell phone in 1973. At the time
he made his call, Cooper was working as Motorola's General
Manager of its Communications Division. Motorola had developed
the idea of using cellular communications on a portable platform
(i.e., a handset)in a non-vehicle setting.
Mobile phone culture or customs
In fewer than twenty years, mobile phones have gone from being
rare and expensive pieces of equipment used by businesses to a
pervasive low-cost personal item. In many countries, mobile
phones now outnumber land-line telephones, with most adults and
many children now owning mobile phones. In the United States,
50% of children own mobile phones.[3] It is not uncommon for
young adults to simply own a mobile phone instead of a land-line
for their residence. In some developing countries, where there
is little existing fixed-line infrastructure, the mobile phone
has become widespread. According to the CIA World Factbook the
UK now has more mobile phones than people [4].
With high levels of mobile telephone penetration, a mobile
culture has evolved, where the phone becomes a key social tool,
and people rely on their mobile phone address book to keep in
touch with their friends. Many people keep in touch using SMS,
and a whole culture of "texting" has developed from this. The
commercial market in SMS's is growing. Many phones even offer
Instant Messenger services to increase the simplicity and ease
of texting on phones. Cellular phones in Japan, offering
Internet capabilities such as NTT DoCoMo's i-mode, offer text
messaging via standard e-mail.
The mobile phone itself has also become a totemic and fashion
object, with users decorating, customizing, and accessorizing
their mobile phones to reflect their personality. This has
emerged as its own industry. The sale of commercial ringtones
exceeded $2.5 billion in 2004 [5].
The use of a mobile phone is prohibited in some rail
carriagesMobile phone etiquette has become an important issue
with mobiles ringing at funerals, weddings, movies, and plays.
Users often speak at increased volume which has led to places
like bookshops, libraries, movie theatres, doctor's offices, and
houses of worship posting signs prohibiting the use of mobile
phones, and in some places installing signal jamming equipment
to prevent usage (although in many countries, e.g. the United
States, such equipment is illegal). Transportation providers,
particularly those doing long-distance services, often offer a
"quiet car" where phone use is prohibited, much like the
designated non-smoking cars in the past. Mobile phone use on
aircraft is also prohibited, because of concerns of possible
interference with aircraft radio communications [6]. Most
schools in the U.S prohibit cell phones due to the high amount
of class disruptions due to their use, and due to the
possibility of photographing someone (without consent).
Camera phones and videophones that can capture video and take
photographs are increasingly being used by companies like Scoopt
to cover breaking news. Stories like the London Bombings, the
Indian Ocean Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina have been reported on
by camera phone users on photo sharing sites like Flickr.
In Japan, cellular phone companies provide immediate
notification of earthquakes and other natural disasters to their
customers free of charge. In the event of an emergency, disaster
response crews can locate trapped or injured people using the
signals from their mobile phones; an interactive menu accessible
through the phone's Internet browser notifies the company if the
user is safe or in distress.
Mobile phone features
Main article: Mobile phone features
Invented in 1997, the camera phone is now 85% of the market.
Mobile phones also often have features beyond sending text
messages and making voice calls—including Internet browsing,
music (MP3) playback, personal organizers, e-mail, built-in
cameras and camcorders, ringtones, games, radio, Push-to-Talk
(PTT), infrared and Bluetooth connectivity, call registers,
ability to watch streaming video or download video for later
viewing, and serving as a wireless modem for a PC.
In most countries, the person receiving a cellular phone call
pays nothing. However, in China (including Hong Kong), Canada,
and the United States, one can be charged per minute. |
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