I just came across a piece of information that totally floored me. The idea for cellular phone communication began in 1947. That was 61 years ago, possibly the lifetime of many readers of this column. Not until 1982 did the FCC authorize commercial cellular service.

What took the cell phone so long to make it into the market place?  In contrast, the United States initiated the Manhattan Project in 1939. That resulted in the Atomic Bomb. It was tested on July 16, 1945 and bingo, bango used on August 6, 1945.

The technical/historical answer is that in 1947 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) limited the number of frequencies available. The limits made only 23 phone conversations possible simultaneously in the same service area - not a market incentive for research at the time.

The FCC reconsidered its position in 1968. AT&T and Bell Labs proposed a cellular system to the FCC of many small, low-powered, broadcast towers that would use only a few of the total frequencies allocated to the system. As the phones traveled across the area, calls would be passed from tower to tower.  Of course they are still battling the NIMBYS about tower placement.  It could take another decade to finally overcome this obstacle.

Well, I have my own theory to share with you. My theory is that it took all those years to research and activate the use of the cell phone in order to develop the myriad ifs, ands, and buts present in every cell phone contract. If you are a cell phone user you know of what I speak. You really need to learn a whole new language when you become a cell phone user. Let’s start with digital and analog. Without analog capability you will not be able to get coverage when you are out hiking in the Adirondacks. Not advisable especially if you are a novice. (Ask to see the cell provider’s map of coverage for each feature before you make a purchase).

Another piece of small print addresses termination conditions. Canceling a service before the end of the term most often results in a fee that can be as high as a one hundred dollars.  You can always change your cellular service provider. However, you will have to pay again for activation and most likely buy a new phone. This is a practice I am certain was deliberated on during the many years of development. If we “lock” the phone for exclusive use on its original network, the consumer has no choice but to buy a new phone if a new service is contracted.

Termination also means a new cell phone number. Service providers thought this one up to make you think twice about changing providers. Think of all the family members and friends you will have to notify. It becomes more involved than having your address changed to sequence house numbers for the local 911 service. Been there, done that.

Cell phone companies have also spent a good deal of time perfecting a warped sense of humor.

They developed a tool that can only be used by a person whose fingertips have a span of 1/16th of an inch, who has eyes with military night vision capacity and reflexes to reach a ringing phone in ten seconds no matter where it is.

But have no fear, one cell phone company seems to have corrected these grave errors. Samsung has created the Jitterbug. You know this cell is meant to be for our generation. It offers bigger, backlit buttons; bright, large text; powerful speaker sounds loud and clear; live, friendly 24-hour Jitterbug operators who can make calls for you, provide directory assistance and add names to your phone list. Service starts at just $10 a month; no long distance or roaming fees and no contracts. Welcome to a communication tool wonderment.

The cell phone has made it possible for the user to be in continuous communication with every family member, friend or foe, at anytime, anywhere (well except during take off and landing). In other words, you can be in someone’s face or ear constantly by dialing them up while exercising on the treadmill, walking to work or standing in line at the post office.  Or as was my experience last week while waiting in an airport, you can be totally blasted out of your skin as the person next to you speaks on the cell in a volume so loud that connecting to their party seemed possible without the cell.

The wonders of this little hand-held technology continue to amaze. You can take pictures with it.

You can text message (if your fingers are small enough). And now you no longer need to remember to have your Border coupons handy. They can be forwarded to you as a text message.

We have no idea where this technology will go. Even Stephen King took some 24 years of writing 40-plus novels to use the cell phone as a demon in one of his stories. Just remember to keep your small finger on the “pulse.”