BT Bronze thumbnail 1
BT Bronze thumbnail 2
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This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

BT Bronze

Celluar Phone and Charging Unit
1986 (made)
Artist/Maker
British Telecom (Retailers)
Mitsubishi Group (designers)
Place of origin
Japan (made)

In the early 1980s the first cellular phones appeared, no longer reliant on a wire connection to the telephone network. There were three types: hand portable, transportable (like this one, intended to be carried in a case) and car phones. This is similar to the 'Steel' model of 1987 which cost around £2000 and was aimed at business users. At this time the network for mobile phones was limited and they were unreliable outside the main urban centres.

Object details

Categories
Household Objects
Telecommunication
Electrical Appliances
Product Design
Object type
Celluar phone and charging unit
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cellular Phone
  • Charging Unit
TitleBT Bronze (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Polycarbonate and steel
Steel
Polycarbonate
Moulding
Brief description
Cellular phone and charging unit, 'BT Bronze', Mitsubishi for British Telecom, Japan, 1986
Physical description
Black transportable phone with carry handle and charging unit.
Dimensions
  • Telephone height: 25cm
  • Telephone width: 7cm
  • Telephone depth: 25cm
Gallery label
(2015)
[Gallery 76]

11. MOBILE PHONE: ‘BT BRONZE’
1986
Although mobile telephones installed in cars had existed for a number of decades, handheld mobile phones only appeared in the 1970s. Heavy, ‘transportable’ phones, such as this 1980s model, had to be semi-stationary, because of the weight of the battery. The devices were aimed at wealthy, urban business clients, and network coverage did not extend far outside of major cities.

Japan
Manufactured by Mitsubishi for British Telecom
Steel and plastics
Given by British Telecom
Museum no. W.18-2003
Credit line
Given by British Telecom Ltd.
Object history
In 2001, BT began the dispersal of its collection of historic telecommunications artefacts and documentation, through the Connected Earth Project. This project was established to dispose of BT's collections to the professional museums sector, and to make available the history of British telecommunications via a 'virtual museum' (www.connected-earth.com). The majority of specialist collections was dispersed to 9 partner museums (including the Science Museum and the Museum of London). The rest of the material was offered to the museums sector (including the V&A) on a first come, first served basis. This telephone is one of those given to the V&A [2003/167].
Association
British Telecom
Summary
In the early 1980s the first cellular phones appeared, no longer reliant on a wire connection to the telephone network. There were three types: hand portable, transportable (like this one, intended to be carried in a case) and car phones. This is similar to the 'Steel' model of 1987 which cost around £2000 and was aimed at business users. At this time the network for mobile phones was limited and they were unreliable outside the main urban centres.
Collection
Furniture and Woodwork Collection
Accession number
W.18:1, 2-2003

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Record createdJuly 22, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O101912/bt-bronze-celluar-phone-and-british-telecom/
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