Weekend Open Forum: At what age did you get your first cell phone?

Shawn Knight

Posts: 15,240   +192
Staff member

I grew up in a time when landlines were the primary means of voice communication. Sure there were cell phones in the early ‘90s but they were typically reserved for business executives and the wealthy. The pager (or beeper) was the go-to device for getting in touch with people on the go through most of my teenage years.

My first cell phone was a Nokia 5110 that I got when I was 18, arguably the most popular handset at the time due to the fact that you could buy aftermarket faceplates, frames, batteries and antennas to create a look that was uniquely your own – something that seemed immensely important in high school. What’s more, few people my age had mobile phones at the time which made owning one that much more attractive.

open forum nokia cell phone

With this week’s open forum, we want to know how old you were when you got your first cell phone and what kind of phone it was (if you remember).

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I believe around the age of 12-13 and it was barely used. My parents have paid £80 or so for that junky motorala and I should of just got the Nokia 3310 even as older as it might of been it is simply bombproof. This was around 2006-2007 time.

Edit: Was not able to post from the news page but only through the forum. If the same is happening to you guys just go HERE
 
My 1st one was when I was about 21/22 yrs old and that was only because I needed it for work.
 
I got my first cellphone 8 years ago to the day almost. It was my 16th birthday present. I don't recall the exact model but it was a cheap flip phone. Interestingly enough, it took way more abuse than my iPhones have and it kept on ticking unlike my iPhones. As a stupid teenager I put that phone through the wringer. By the time I finally retired it, it was 50% duct tape and electrical tape...
 
1996 I was 26 and in the military. One of the first Nokia digital phones with Bellsouth mobility(AT&T now) it weighed as much as a brick literally and I still have it saved to show people, it was cool at the time none of my friends had one.
 
22yrs old I think, Nokia 5110, around USD 190. Made in Finland not somewhere else. Yes it can destroy bricks!
 
I am 28 and I got mine when I was 16. I hated it and my parents used it to call and find out where I was anytime I was away from the house. This might explain why I still don't have a smartphone.
 
I am 24 and got mine when I was 18. My brother got his at 14 and I'm curious to see when my parents cave for my kid sister now. I'm guessing 13.
 
I'm 27 now, got my first one when I was 18 when I moved into my university.
 
About 14 if I remember. It was an Alcatel...something.

My next phone was a Nokia 3210 which was the phone everybody wanted back then in school. I loved that phone.
 
Wasn't that long ago - ten years ago maybe which would put be me at 45. Not a big cell phone user. I've always had the most basic, pay-as-you-go style phone.
 
[FONT=Arial]I'm going to be 23 soon. Got mine when I was 18 because I needed a way to keep track of time. (all my watches kept dyeing)[/FONT]
 
Mine was when I was 13, and it was a barely used.

I got my first "proper" phone when I was 14, just last year.
 
First cell, must of been 15, barely used it, was paid by parents so that I would call them to let them know I wasn't coming home. I didn't really need a Cell phone until after high school however.
 
I'm 32, got my first just before I turned 21. It was a motorola one with the push to talk feature, nextel provider? It was actually on my parents plan...
 
16, IT was that exact Nokia in the picture. Battery didn't even last 6 hours on standby. Snake was awesome then.
 
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