Engineers who created first cell phone honored in Chicago

October 10, 2007 (WLS) -- For many young people, cell phones have always been around. But there was a time called "B.C." - before cell phones. It all began 35 years ago in the Chicago area, when Motorola engineers invented Cell Phone Number One.

On Wednesday, those engineers were honored.

At the Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park, a team of Motorola engineers who changed our lives was honored. The first cell phone was a clumsy contraption weighing two and a half pounds. Motorola was on a mission to be the first.

"The mission was to get a cell phone, a portable cell phone, in about a six or eight week period," said Don Lindner, Motorola director of cellular research.

Lindner and a team of Motorola engineers were honored by a company called Globalspec. Every year, they recognize great moments in engineering. And the cell phone's birthday 35 years ago is one of those moments. Ten years later, Cell Phone One hit the market.

"In 1983 or 1984 I think it was, Motorola's Dynateck retailed for $3,999 suggested price," Lindner said.

Motorola originally thought the cell phones would be strictly for high-end professionals. But through the years, as quality improved and size went down, the cell phone turned into an extra ear lobe, audio food for the mind.

From Cell Phone Number One thirty five years ago, to more than 2.7 billion subscribers today, you wonder if those engineers had any idea how annoying cell phone users can be.

"I'm sorry for that. I take full responsibility," Lindner laughed. "And no, I didn't think about it."

"It does not take a cell phone to make people rude. They can be rude in all kinds of different ways. So there's a whole new culture of courtesy that has to evolve," said Marty Cooper, who helped develop Motorola Cell Phone #1.

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