When first introduced in the 1970s, and well into the early 1990s, cellular phones, or mobile phones were only for rich and business elite, as the costs for network access was at a premium.http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1636836_1389497,00.html Today, they are a necessary conduit of basic communication between people of all races and economic strata, and in fact the number of cell phone users far outweighs the number of traditional 'land line' users. In the early days of cell phone use, its name was derived from the fact that users needed to stay within certain range of a 'cellular' tower in order to complete a call.

Technically, cell phones are a type of radio that offers two-way, full duplex communications, meaning both individuals can talk at the same time.http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm As cell phone components have decreased in size, phones have likewise decreased in size. Phones have also increased features to include options such as digital cameras, Internet connectivity, task lists, calculators and other features.http://www.howstuffworks.com/cell-phone.htm

Later, as the industry slowly began to grow, several network providers began to assess 'roaming' charges to users that were attempting to complete and/or receive calls outside their calling area. But as the development of technological advances and growing consumer need emerged, service providers stepped up the number of towers used around the country, and around the world, to help complete calls and deliver services. Those early first generation phones required detailed wiring and parts in order to complete network calls, which explains their 'girth'.

Today's phones by comparison, thanks to significant advancement in technology, allow for the phones to connect on virtually any cell tower, thus allowing for phones to be as thin as two inches. Thanks to the rapid development of micro-sized circuitry within them, cell phones often feature various specialized hardware and software that is unrelated to phone calls. These would include built-in cameras, music-playing capabilities, video games, internet accessibility, and personal data organization.