Originally Posted by gringo

Not to hijack my own thread, but not true.

The phrase "cell phone" coincides with the coining of the phrase "cellular network", which was coined in the late 70's; they were also commonly referred to as "car phones" because most of them were in fact installed in a car at the time.

Tech Talk: Where'd it Come From, Anyway? | PCWorld

Why Do We Use The Term Cellular Phone Instead of Mobile Phone?

How the 'Cellular' Phone Got Its Name - Atlantic Mobile

Although truthfully I had no idea either, I was just making a funny.