That first cell phone, back in the day . . .

[doomsdave]

In the 1990s cell phones got popular; then in the New Millennium they became essential.

I got my first one not long after 9-11; I’d resisted the blandishments before then. Too many charges like “roaming” that meant at least in theory, you’d pay a lot more than expected.

Gonna be 20 years this fall.

How about the rest of you?

 

[betsygee]

My spouse had a bag phone like this in his truck for work, back in the early 90s.




I thought cell phones were frivolous and unnecessary--I always said 'Why would I ever need to text anyone?' Little did I know. But I finally got a Blackberry, sometime in the early 2000s and then switched to an iPhone, I suppose about ten years ago.

 

[Willowy]

Wow, I don't even remember. Maybe around 1998-1999? My mom was a rural mail carrier who needed a cell phone in case of breakdowns, plus they got an employer discount, so we got phones a bit earlier than most of my friends' families. First phone was a candybar type Nokia phone, maybe a 3110? Mine was blue, though, and I can't tell if 3110s came in blue. Anyway something like that, definitely not a flip phone.

I remember once after I moved into my own house (in 2003), one of the cats stepped on the phone and somehow called my mom, who promptly freaked out because I didn't answer when she tried to call back, so she ended up calling the cops to check on me, lol. So that's definitely a problem with a phone that has unprotected keys .

I keep my phones until they won't charge anymore; I hate learning a new system. I think I'm on my 5th cell phone now.

 

[denice]

I got my first one in 2005. Now that they no longer practically give away new phones to get someone to sign a contract for another two years I keep a phone until they don't work anymore. I had to get a new one last summer because my old one wouldn't load an app. It was a Galaxy S4. The company started requiring Duo so they could do the double verification by cell phone and my phone wouldn't load the app.

 

[aliceneko]

I'm only in my twenties so I got my first cell phone in 2008 as my cousin let me have her old flip phone for my birthday. I was so proud of it haha.

 

[susanm9006]

I had a cell phone, work provided, mid 90’s and on because I worked in 24/7 industries needed to be able to be reached day or night. I don’t remember much about the early ones, they were Nokias if I recall, and they kept getting smaller and smaller, then flip phones. Oh, just remembered, we had pagers before cell phones! You wore it and would get a number on a little screen then you would have to find a phone to call.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I got my first phone as a prepaid when I was in college. It was probably 2000/2001. I don’t even remember what kind. I just thought it would be good to have one. My parents got me a better phone and put it on their plan in 2001. It was cheaper for me that way. I still have the same number. It had a tan/golden cover with a little shimmer and one game. I remember talking to DH on it after 9. My mother had a work phone and a personal one because she worked on the road and out of the house. So we’d had them around for a few years but not many.

At one point in high school my bff and I were doing the typical teen at the mall on a fri/sat night thing. My mom made me take her phone to call them when it was time to get picked up. I was SO nervous someone would know I had it on me and steal it. It was huge and heavy in my crossbody purse! I pretty much hid behind a clothes rack with bff standing guard when I took it out to call. Now looking back i just hope no one thought we were trying to shoplift!But it was a big deal! Having a pager was still becoming a thing!

Funny story... Back when mom was still somewhat new to her job she somehow accidentally changed the language on her work phone to Spanish. My stepdad grew up bilingual so you’d think it would be no problem but he was out of town for work himself. She ended up meeting up with her only coworker and they held phones side by side to find the setting.

 

[Kieka]

I got mine in 2001, first year of college and I remember the panic of accidentally starting something downloading or doing more than calling. It was actually my Dad's old cell phone. My Dad used to test new technology for his company so he had a pager and a cell phone as backup when it was new. My first was his 5th or 6th but the first time his company told them to just keep the old model if they wanted.

 

[klunick]

First one was in 1997 because I moved and was going to have a 60+ mile commute between 3:30-5:00am. For emergencies only flip phone. Upgraded to smart phone years later when we had a hurricane and I need the ability to get texts from kids' school and my work. Not sure the exact year about it was around 2009 or so.

 

[Katie M]

It was about 2003-2004. It was a Nokia and the greatest thing about it was that it had Snake.

 

[NY cat man]

I got my first phone in '98 after my vehicle broke down in the middle of nowhere at 5 in the morning with a bad fuel pump. It was a flip phone that I paid $20 for at Radio Shack, and I still have it and use it. It isn't fancy, but it does what I need it to do, and that's all that counts.

 

[Tobermory]

My first was a Motorola in the mid 90s. Clunky thing even though I got a slimmer battery for it (slim for the time).

At some point, I got a Palm Pilot phone which I loved. I can’t remember when I transitioned to a BlackBerry, but I had it until 2010 when I switched to an iPhone. I’ve had iPhones since then.

I have to admit that I still miss the tactile element of the actual buttons. I could really fly with that BlackBerry keyboard. I make a lot more mistakes with the touchscreen although my iPhone and I are inseparable!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

N NY cat man Your phone is older than some adults! And here I thought I was good for keeping my first iphone for 5 years!

 

[NY cat man]

N NY cat man Your phone is older than some adults! And here I thought I was good for keeping my first iphone for 5 years!

Yep, still got it, although I'm on the third battery, and they keep getting harderto find.

 

[artiemom]

I think my first phone was a Nokia.
Then, I had the one Tobermory showed
Next, it was a Razor Flip phone.

Then onto an iPhone 5. That one lasted until battery swelled. I currently have an iPhone 10 XR.

 

[susanm9006]

My flip phone wasn’t quite as old as N NY cat man , but I had it, and loved it long past the intro of smart phones. Unfortunately I went detecting at the lake one morning and forgot it was in my pocket. Chest deep in the water I heard it’s frantic vibrating as it drew its last electrical impulses. It was pretty sad and I did feel really guilty about it.

 

[LTS3]

My first phone was in 2005 and it was a work issued flip phone. I had a few different work cell phones: a fake Blackberry at one point, then another cheapy flip phone, then briefly had an iPhone before I left the company. I got a personal phone in 2008 I think. It was a flip phone. I upgraded my personal flip phone to a smartphone around 2010. I last upgraded my smartphone in 2016.

 

[goingpostal]

My first one would have been 2001-2002 ish, once I got a car and my mom thought I should have one, it was a Nokia, I remember playing a lot of snake on it and being concerned about my minutes

 

[MonaLyssa33]

My family had a cell phone in the 90s because my dad was a pipefitter and would often need to be reachable for his job. I got my own cell phone in maybe 2002 which was when I started driving and my mom wanted me to have it for emergencies.

 

[Winchester]

I'm not sure what year it was. My first cell phone was a Motorola "Prom Queen" clamshell-type phone. I loved that thing and it seems that I had it for quite a while. Small enough that I could stick it in my pocket and listen to music while out walking. People kept telling me to get another phone; it wasn't until the Droid came out that I finally got my Droid. Which I also loved. The Droid ended up in the toilet (long story) and I got another Droid. Followed by the Samsung Galaxy S9+. Followed by my current iPhone 12 ProMax.

I really haven't had that many phones.