Talk:Wireless telephone

Cordless or cell?

There is a section "wireless phone handset" in Cordless_telephone, but the former refers to Wifi technology while the latter is, I think, the most accurate/frequent meaning of "wireless phone"; I do not know anybody who would say "wireless" instead of mobile/cell phone. — MFH:Talk 14:01, 29 December 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps L. Frank Baum in 1914? From Tik-Tok of Oz: "...a wireless telephone, an invention of the Wizard. Those separated by any distance were thus enabled to converse together with perfect ease and without any wire connection." Presumably "any distance" includes distances beyond the range of cordless telephones. – wbm1058 (talk) 13:42, 27 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Baum may have been aware of Alexander Graham Bell and Sumner Tainter's 1880 photophone. Perhaps this served as the inspiration for his fictional "wireless phone". – wbm1058 (talk) 14:30, 27 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]

re: "I do not know anybody who would say "wireless" instead of mobile/cell phone." – Verizon Wireless, not Verizon Mobile or Verizon Cellular. But, e.g. TAG Mobile and U.S. Cellular. The three terms seem interchangeable, in this given context. "Wireless" is just more ambiguous than the others, when taking a longer view. – wbm1058 (talk) 17:11, 27 May 2018 (UTC)[reply]