GSM cellphone technology celebrates 20 years, aims for 20 more

Just this summer we saw text messaging party down after turning 15, and now its time to get your weekend started right by celebrating 20 whole years of GSM. Reportedly, "15 phone firms signed an agreement to build mobile networks based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM) Communications" on this day in 1987, and while it took "12 years for the first billion mobile connections to be made," things have pretty much taken off since then. So here's to 20 incredibly fruitful years, GSM, you've earned it.

[Thanks James; image courtesy of RetroBrick]

[granny down east @ Sep 7th 2007 11:20PM]

Yeah, wish I'd have kept that 3 lb., 5 watt bag phone!

[imacmatt09 @ Sep 7th 2007 11:24PM]

You mean your windows mobile device?

:)

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 8th 2007 10:07AM]

I managed to keep one up untill several years ago. After using a PCS and CDMA phone for a few years, I turned the old brick on and made a call. I was amazed at how much clearer it was over my tiny flea-powered digital PCS/CDMA phone. What also amazed me was that my reception was much bettter with no digital jitter, blubbzzzz, etc. Boy I sure miss the analogue days, but digital is here and it will stay. So long Charlie.

[Bernhard @ Sep 7th 2007 11:21PM]

I hope GSM still exists for another 20 years cause it would be a shame to discard my high-tech nokia 1100 with included flashlight.

[Johan S @ Sep 7th 2007 11:24PM]

Not having a cell phone is the new status symbol. I'm so important that people don't bother me with their petty phone calls, and I have people to handle m business.


Besides, cell phones? They're just a fad.

[jimmyfinch @ Sep 7th 2007 11:28PM]

you need to beat the guy who was handling the "y" in "my".

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Sep 8th 2007 3:12AM]

Just a question. Why are people always quick to point out other peoples' typos?

To me, it just makes you look up-tight and snobbish. I can understand grammar mistakes, but simple typos? Sheesh. It's almost like trolling in a way.

Some more random comments: No one is perfect! No one has to be a professional to make a post! Stop being so damn critical! ;)

[Fruition @ Sep 8th 2007 4:44PM]

Liquid, you bring up a good point. People can be too critical. But I don't mind it when that criticality takes a humorous slant like in jimmyfinch's comment. If your post makes me laugh, it wins, regardless of how critical or unfair it might be.

My final advice--proofreading does wonders.

[rlh82 @ Sep 7th 2007 11:24PM]

Whatever, we need 3G.

[Bobs @ Sep 7th 2007 11:50PM]

Hey, that looks like my "Im a cheep bastard phone". Really, its sitting in my garage. All it has is a red LED, a green LED, and a red calculator style display. no fancy pixels.

[Ratchet the Lombax @ Sep 7th 2007 11:58PM]

Yea my dad has one of those and it still works, I thought about carring it around one day just to see what people say about it.

[Bobs @ Sep 8th 2007 12:32AM]

they do have these, ive thought about getting or making one, its not too hard.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/7830/
Ive seen them use those bluetooth earpices to make bluetooth rotary phones, and even a bluetooth banana that i wanted to make very badly, something about looking like a crazy person on the street, talking into a banana
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/08/diy_banana_phone.html

http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/205/47/

[Jake M. @ Sep 8th 2007 12:34AM]

I am a ramdom guy who wants to win a randomly picked prize!

[zfurie @ Sep 8th 2007 2:03AM]

And you picked a random non-giveaway post for your random reply.

[Jake M. @ Sep 8th 2007 11:06PM]

I am a ramdom guy who wants to win a randomly picked prize!

[Jake M. @ Sep 8th 2007 11:10PM]

Stupid single sign on software took over my computer!! ha ha

[Spike @ Sep 8th 2007 1:34AM]

Death to Qualcomm and their CDMA crap. It was only ever made to milk licensing royalties.

[xbit @ Sep 8th 2007 4:31AM]

GSM - a great example of collaboration and standards leading to a competitive and innovative market place.

Well done to everyone involved!

[siddharth s @ Sep 8th 2007 1:47PM]

Amen to that. Compare that to the shady world of CDMA with Qualcomm and its shady royalties and patents. And Verizon with their nickle-and-dime strategy (purposely DISABLING bluetooth features like file transfer so we MUST PAY them $1 to get each photo we take onto the PC!!!)

Screw them. Long live GSM and its successors.

[downsouth821 @ Sep 9th 2007 12:44AM]

You guys are stuck on stupid. Have yall ever use a cdma phone its like 10 times clearer than gsm. Gsm phones make the caller sound tiny. I have ATT and compared to my friend verizon phone sound like im talking in a small room. I hate verizon but have to give it to them on call capacity, sound quality, coverage and 3g.

[Montevale @ Sep 10th 2007 4:36PM]

GSM - 20 years Right On...
I hope they fix that CDMA challenge that has been holding them back befor the CDMA folks get together and make their own sim cards.
Funny I care less about the phone as it has become irrelevant what I use and all of them work fairly well when in comes to voice. Data is where the WARZONE is at.
How about an option of giving me a secondary sim for my existing account that has a data plan only I already have a phone and with many UMPCs on the market coming up I can use an option like this.