Mobile Technology: the History of Smartphones

The 1st successful cell phone call happened on April 3, 1973, made by Martin Cooper of Motorola, to Joel Engel, head of AT&T-owned Bell labs. He was standing on a sidewalk somewhere on Sixth avenue in Manhattan, with a device the size of a brick. The 2 companies were competing to make the 1st call for 4 months. At that time, Bell was known to develop the transistor, while Motorola was just a little company in Chicago.

It was not until 1977 that the 1st cellular network was built in the U.S. On Oct. 13, 1983, Ameritech (now part of AT&T) launched the 1st commercial cellular service, known as the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) in the Chicago area, making the 1st cellular call using the Motorola DynaTAC, a large and heavy mobile phone commonly known as the "brick phone." SBC bought Ameritech in 1999 for around $62 billion, then merged with AT&T in 2006.

In 2006, the largest carrier of cellphone subscription in the U.S. was AT&T Mobility (formerly called Cingular Wireless since 2000). T-Mobile, based in Bellevue, Washington, became the U.S. largest cellphone service carriers in 2020 after buying Sprint, and reported having 102 million customers after the acquistion. Then later in 2020, Verizon acquired Tracfone, and became the largest, at about 120 million subscribers.

The top 5 most expensive smartphones, as of fall 2021:

-Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3: starting at $1799.
-Sony Xperia 1 III: starting at $1299.
-Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra: starting at $1199.
-iPhone 13 Pro Max: starting at $1099.
-Google Pixel 6 Pro: starting at $899.

1. When did flip phones surpass landline phones? And when did smartphones surpass flip phones? For the U.S.

By the end of 2002, the number of cell phone subscriptions had surpassed the number of land lines for the 1st time, 1.16 billion to 1.13 billion, according to the International Telecommunication Union.

As for smartphones, we know for adult Americans, more than 50% of the population had owned a smartphone by 2014. 64% of Americans own a smartphone in March 2015, up from 58% in early 2014, and 35% in spring 2011, according to Pew Research. Spring 2011 is the earliest survey of Pew Research.

Did you know that when smartphones 1st came out, Blacks and Hispanics had a higher percentage of owning smartphones than Whites? According to Statistica, from 2011 to 2014. Starting in 2016, Whites had a higher percentage of smartphone ownership. This could be due to Whites were more likely to own a computer in the 2000s. For example in 2011, 30% of Whites owned smartphones, compared to 44% for both Black and Hispanic. In 2014, 61% of Whites owned smartphones, compared to 70% of Blacks and 71% of Hispanics. In 2019, 82% of Whites owned smartphones, compared to 80% of Blacks and 79% of Hispanics. https://www.statista.com/statistics/195001/percentage-of-us-smartphone-owners-by-ethnicity/

According to Common Sense Media, as of Oct. 2019, 53% of children own a smartphone by the age of 11, and 84% for teenagers.

The 1st smartphones.

2. When was the 1st iPhone smartphone released?

The 1st iPhone smartphone was released on June 29, 2007, for AT&T (formerly Cingular, which renamed that year).

3. When was the 1st Android smartphone released?

The 1st commercially available Android smartphone, the HTC Dream (also known as the T-Mobile G1), was released on Sept. 23, 2008, for T-mobile, by HTC. Then the HTC Magic, also known as myTouch 3G, June 2009.

The 1st iPhone officially compatible with T-Mobile's network was released on April 12, 2013. Prior to that, T-Mobile did not officially carry the iPhone, and customers had to use unlocked versions of the iPhone on T-Mobile's network, which had limitations in terms of network compatibility.

4. When was the 1st Android for non-T-mobile released?

In terms of carrier, the 1st Android smartphone that was not exclusive to T-Mobile was the HTC Hero, made by Sprint, which was released in Oct. 2009. The HTC Hero was available on multiple carriers, expanding the availability of Android devices beyond T-Mobile's network. However, a manufacturer/vendor named Samsung made the 2nd Android after T-mobile, which will be answered later down.

5. Who was the 2nd carrier for iPhones?

Verizon Wireless released their 1st Android smartphone, the Motorola Droid, on Nov. 6, 2009. Then their 1st iPhone was released was Feb. 10, 2011, with the launch of the iPhone 4 on their network, and following AT&T's exclusive agreement with Apple for several years.

6. Who was the 1st carrier to offer both iPhones and Androids?

AT&T, which released their 1st Android, the Motorola Backflip, on March 7, 2010. Then Verizon, then Sprint released their 1st iPhone, the iPhone 4S, on Oct. 14, 2011. This was a 5th generation iPhone and included the voice-controlled virtual assistant named Siri.

7. Who and when was the 1st Samsung smartphone?

The 1st Samsung smartphone was the Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500, also known as the Samsung Galaxy, released in June 2009. It was Samsung's 1st Android-powered smartphone and marked the company's entry into the smartphone market.

The Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500 was initially released as an unlocked device, meaning it was not tied to a specific carrier. However, it was later offered by various carriers in different regions, including O2 in Germany and Telefonica in Spain.

The 1st Motorola Android was already mentioned, in the previous question, for Verizon, as well as HTC, for T-mobile. Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and LG have never made iPhones, as iPhones are a product of Apple Inc. Similarly, Apple has never produced an Android, as Android are an operating system developed by Google, and used by several smartphone manufacturers/vendors.

Cricket, Boost, and MetroPCS have all offered Androids before iPhones.

1 of the last vendors to enter the Android market was Nokia, which was released in 2017, the Nokia 6.

8a. Who was the vendor for AT&T's 1st iPhone?

Apple. Apple has never allowed someone else to manufacture their iPhones.

8b. How did Apple pick AT&T for their 1st carrier?

The decision for Apple to partner with AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless) as the exclusive carrier for the 1st iPhone was primarily a strategic 1. Apple chose AT&T because of its GSM network technology, which was more widely adopted globally compared to CDMA networks used by other carriers in the U.S. at the time (Verizon and Sprint). This allowed Apple to target a larger customer base internationally. Additionally, AT&T offered competitive terms and a shared vision for the iPhone's potential impact on the market. The exclusive partnership between Apple and AT&T lasted until 2011 when other carriers, such as Verizon and later Sprint, began offering the iPhone as well.

Also of note, here is some contradicting information. Apple reportedly pitched the iPhone to Verizon 1st, and Verizon turned down the deal due to Apple wanting a significant control over the product, and share of the revenue. This contradicts Apple's preference of GSM over CDMA, so perhaps Apple executives had ties with Verizon executives beforehand.

9. How did Google pick T-mobile for their 1st Android carrier, and how did Google pick HTC for their 1st vendor?

The selection involved several factors:

Network Compatibility: T-Mobile was the only GSM company left, was compatible with the initial design and specifications of the Android platform, making it a suitable choice for collaboration.

Alignment of Goals: Google and T-Mobile shared a common vision for an open and customizable mobile platform. T-Mobile was known for its commitment to innovation and openness, which resonated with Google's goals for Android.

Regarding the selection of HTC as the 1st vendor for Android smartphones, Google likely considered several factors:

Other vendors like Motorola and Samsung already had parternships with other companies. Both had a relation with Windows Mobile (Motorola Q 2005, and Samsung Blackjack 2006). Motorola was already working with AT&T and Verizon for their Windows Mobile devices, while Samsung's SCH-i730 2005 smatphone was exclusive to Verizon, and Instinct 2008 was exclusive to Sprint. Samsung also had its own proprietary OS, which later evolved into Bada, and eventually Tizen.

10. So T-mobile and AT&T both used GSM at the time. What carriers were using CDMA?

Verizon, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular.

It's worth noting that in recent years, many carriers, including Verizon and Sprint, have transitioned from CDMA to GSM-based technologies like LTE and 5G. This has resulted in greater compatibility and interoperability among different networks and devices.

11. When Verizon and Sprint acquired iPhones, were they both still CDMA?

Yes. However, both Verizon and Sprint have since transitioned to LTE (4G) technology for their networks, allowing for compatibility with both CDMA and GSM devices.

GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is a standard for digital cellular networks that was developed to enable mobile communication across multiple countries and regions. GSM technology uses a combination of time division multiple access (TDMA) and frequency division multiple access (FDMA) to provide reliable voice and data services over cellular networks. GSM has become one of the most widely adopted mobile communication standards globally and has served as the foundation for various generations of mobile networks, including 2G, 3G, and 4G.

LTE (Long-Term Evolution), is a standard for wireless communication and is based on the GSM technology. LTE is often referred to as a 4G technology and provides high-speed data transmission for mobile devices. While GSM and CDMA are different technologies, LTE is compatible with both GSM and CDMA networks, allowing for a unified and global standard for high-speed wireless communication. This compatibility enables users to switch between different carriers and regions while using LTE-enabled devices.

CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) is a digital cellular technology that allows multiple users to share the same frequency band simultaneously by using unique codes to differentiate between different signals.

12. Who invented GSM and CDMA?

GSM was developed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the GSM Association. It was a collaborative effort involving multiple companies and organizations.

CDMA was developed by Qualcomm, a telecommunications company based in the U.S. CDMA technology was patented and initially used in military applications before being adapted for commercial use in cellular networks.

LTE (Long-Term Evolution) is a standard for wireless communication technology and was developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), a collaboration of various telecommunications standards organizations. It is not attributed to a single inventor, but rather a collective effort by multiple companies, organizations, and researchers involved in the 3GPP. The goal of LTE was to provide higher data rates, improved efficiency, and enhanced performance compared to previous generations of cellular networks.

13. Who else was using GSM besides T-mobile and AT&T at the time?

Some notable examples include:

Vodafone (based in Berkshire, England), Orange (formed as a joint venture between France Telecom and British Telecom), Deutsche Telekom (the parent company of T-Mobile based in Germany), Telefonica (based in Spain), Telecom Italia (largest telecommunications provider in Italy), and O2 (a subsidiary of Telefónica). In the U.S., there was SunCom Wireless (founded 1999 in Pennsylvanua, bought by T-mobile in Feb. 2008, where it had 1.1 million customers the previous year).

14. Who still uses CDMA in the U.S.?

Verizon has announced to end CDMA on Dec. 31, 2022. Sprint was the 2nd last to use CDMA until it got bought by T-mobile in 2020.

15. Has Microsoft ever made an OS for a smartphone?

Yes, but they discontinued. They had Windows Phone 7, 8, and 8.1. Windows 10 Mobile was the last iteration of Microsoft's smartphone operating system. It was based on the Windows 10 architecture and offered a consistent experience across devices, including smartphones. However, Microsoft eventually discontinued the development of Windows 10 Mobile in 2017 and shifted its focus away from smartphone hardware. They had used multiple carriers.

16. Has any of the vendors that made operating systems for flip phones, also make operating systems for smartphones?

Not really, the 1s that did were short lived. The companies that made operating systems for flip phones, made their own proprietary ones, such as Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, LG, and Sony Ericcson.

For smartphones, Nokia made Symbian OS, but eventually transition away to use Microsoft's Windows Phone OS for their Lumia smartphone. Motorola made MotoBLUR interface, but discontinued as the Android got popular and got bought by Google in 2011. Samsung experiment with their own proprietary operating system such as Bada OS. LG briefly dabbed with the webOS platform, originally developed by Palm, for some of their smartphones before becoming fully committed to Android.

And although Motorola Mobility was bought by Google in 2011, Google sold it to Lenovo in 2014. Motorola's smartphones still retains its Motorola name.

Processors of smartphones.

Since the previous questions were a lot about OS's (operating system), we will introduce a new variable in phones, the processor, which are not made by the vendor or the OS-company (Google and Apple). Like in computers, Microsoft Windows had other companies make their processors, such as Intel and AMD.

17. Does the OS control the processor, or does the processor control the OS?

The relationship between the processor and the operating system (OS) is mutual and interdependent. The processor serves as the hardware component that executes the instructions and performs the calculations necessary for the functioning of the OS and other software applications. The OS is the software layer that manages and controls the hardware resources, including the processor, to facilitate the execution of various tasks and provide a user interface. The OS controlling and managing the processor's resources, while the processor executes the instructions and performs the computations required by the OS and software applications. So, they work together in a symbiotic relationship.

Note: difference between chipset and processor? In smartphones, chipset includes processor, as well as other components like the graphics processing unit (GPU), memory controller, modem, and other peripherals.

18. What are processor-companies called?

The companies that design and manufacture processors for smartphones are commonly referred to as semiconductor companies or chip manufacturers. These companies specialize in the development of integrated circuits, including processors, that power various electronic devices, including smartphones. Some well-known semiconductor companies in the smartphone industry include Qualcomm, MediaTek, Samsung Electronics (Exynos), Apple (Apple Silicon), and Huawei (HiSilicon).

19. Who chooses the processor, the OS company (Google or Apple), or the vendor?

The answer appears to be the vendor.

20. Who was the 1st processor for the 1st vendor for the 1st smartphones by carrier?

As already mentioned:

1st processor for T-mobile's 1st Android (HTC Dream aka T-mobile G1, Sept. 2008): Qualcomm MSM7201A processor. This was a single-core processor based on the ARMv6 architecture. It had a clock speed of 528 MHz.
1st processor for Samsung (Samsung Galaxy GT-I7500, June 2009): Qualcomm MSM7200 processor. The MSM7200A is a system-on-chip (SoC) based on the ARM architecture. It featured a 528 MHz ARM11 processor and integrated Adreno 130 graphics.
1st processor for Sprint's 1st Android (HTC Hero, Oct. 2009): Qualcomm MSM7200A processor. The MSM7200A is a system-on-chip (SoC) based on the ARM architecture. It featured a 528 MHz ARM11 processor and integrated Adreno 130 graphics.
1st processor for Verizon's 1st Android (Motorola Droid, Nov. 2009): TI OMAP3430 processor. (TI stands for Texas Instruments.).
1st processor for AT&T's 1st Android (Motorola Backflip, March 2010): Qualcomm MSM7201A processor.

Trivia.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 was released by Sony Ericsson in Aug. 2010, a joint venture between Sony and Ericsson at the time. For their carrier, it varied depending on the region and market. It included AT&T in the United States, Telstra in Australia, and T-Mobile in some European countries. For the U.S., this was AT&T's 2nd Android. It used the Qualcolmm Snapdragon S1 processor.

The 1st Qualcomm Snapdragon processor was the Snapdragon S1 (QSD8250), for the HTC HD2 smartphone, Nov. 2008. However, it was not an Android, it was a Windows Mobile device.

Trivia - mobile phones.

In 1993, ARM struck a deal with Texas Instruments, putting its processors in early Nokia mobile phones. TI got an ARM license in 1994. Now TI could make advanced chips for a new generation of Nokia phones. The 1st of these phones, the Nokia 8110, was the 1st GSM handset with an ARM core, released in 1996. It was 1 of the early mobile phones to feature an ARM processor, specifically the ARM7TDMI. It would become famous a few years later when it appeared in the movie The Matrix.

21. Who was the 2nd vendor to choose TI?

For the U.S., that was Huawei. The Huawei U8230, released in Sept. 2009 in the U.K., was Huawei's 1st Android smartphone. Huawei has since used processors from various manufacturers in their Android devices, including their in-house HiSilicon Kirin processors. They were their own vendor. It came to the U.S. in 2010, also known as T-Mobile Pulse.

22. Why did HTC choose Qualcomm to make their 1st processor, and why did Motorola choose Texas Instruments to make their 1st processor?

Since this question was in the context of Android smartphones, Qualcomm has already made processors for HTC's earlier phones, which were their Windows Mobile devices, that were not Androids. TI has already made processors for Motorola's flip phones, the RAZR series. However, it should be noted that Motorola did transition away from TI and quickly chose Qualcomm for their Snapdragon processors. Similarly, as already mentioned, T-mobile opened another set of smartphones with Huawei that chose TI as their processor (T-mobile Pulse), both of which are discontinued.

23. Since Intel and AMD made processors for computer OS's like Windows, has Intel or AMD ever made processors for smartphones?

Intel has, but AMD has not. Intel however, did not make it for the U.S., as too much competition already dominated by companies like Qualcomm.

The 1st smartphone made by Intel was called the Intel AZ210, also known as the Intel Xolo X900. It was released in April 2012 in India and featured Intel's Atom Z2460 processor. The vendor was Lava International and primarily targeted the Indian market. It was as an unlocked device, which means it was not tied to any specific carrier. It was later available in the U.K. in June 2012 through the carrier Orange (and through other carriers globally) and marketed as "Orange San Diego."

The Lenovo K800 smartphone was released in China in May 2012, its availability outside of China was limited.

The Motorola RAZR i was 1st released in the U.K. in Sept. 2012 and was later launched in various other countries.

In the smartphone industry, processors based on ARM architecture have been more prevalent, with companies like Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung being major players in this space. Intel's smartphones were based on the x86 architecture, specifically the Intel Architecture (IA).

24. So when Google makes the OS, and processor-companies makes the processor, where are they merged? Does the OS go to the processor-facility to be merged, or does the processor go to the OS-facility (Google), to be merged? Or are both shipped to the vendor, who merges them?

The answer appears to be the last 1, they're assembled at the vendor's facility.

25. Was the 1st processor for Apple's iPhone?

The 1st processor for iPhones were actually designed by Apple, but manufactured by other companies. The Apple A4 chip, was manufactured by Samsung. It made its debut in the iPhone 4, released June 2010.

26. Who was the 2nd company to make processors for Apple?

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Apple began diversifying its chip manufacturing partners starting with the A8 chip, which was used in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, both released in Sept. 2014.

Apple has been using both TSMC and Samsung as suppliers for its A-series processors, introducing a dual-sourcing strategy to ensure a stable supply chain and reduce dependence on a single manufacturer.

27. What about for iPads?

The A8 chip, which first appeared in the iPad mini 4 and iPad Air 2 in 2014, was initially manufactured by Samsung. Subsequent A-series chips, including the A9, A10, A11, and later, have been manufactured by both Samsung and TSMC. The shift to dual-sourcing became more prominent with these later chip generations, allowing Apple to use both manufacturers for increased flexibility and supply chain stability.

Modems of smartphones.

28. What is the modem?

Short for modulator-demodulator, is responsible for managing the device's communication with cellular networks, playing a key role in transmitting and receiving data between the mobile device and the network infrastructure.

some key functions modem are signal modulation and demodulation (modulating digital data generated into analog signals for transmission over the airwaves. Similarly, it demodulates incoming analog signals from the network back into digital data that the device can understand), carrier frequency management (handling the selection and management of carrier frequencies, which operate on specific frequency bands), data transmission, protocol handling (2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G), network authentication (SIM cards and secure authentication procedures), and handover between cell towers.

29. Do the same companies that make the processor of phones, also make the modem of phones?

It depends, some companies integrate both the application processor and modem into a single chip (System-on-Chip (SoC) designs), the processor (CPU) and modem are integrated into a single chip. This integration is common in many modern smartphones. For example:

-Qualcomm is known for its Snapdragon processors, which often integrate both the application processor (CPU) and modem into a SoC.
-Samsung's Exynos processors, used in some of their smartphones, integrates both the CPU and modem on the same chip.

However, some companies choose to source modems separately or use modems from dedicated modem manufacturers. For example:

-Apple has sourced modems from Intel and Qualcomm. Apple does have plans on making their own modem.

In 2019, Intel announced its exit from the 5G smartphone modem business. Subsequently, in July 2019 Apple reached an agreement with Intel to acquire its smartphone modem business for about $1 billion. This acquisition was focused on acquiring Intel's intellectual property (IP) related to smartphone modems, and approximately 2,200 Intel employees joining Apple. Apple aimed to bolster its in-house capabilities for developing modems for future iPhones.

Other.

30. Back in 2009, T-mobile required 24-month contracts in order to get a cell phone. Today, you can do month-to-month. When did T-mobile make those changes?

T-Mobile transitioned away from long-term contracts and introduced its "Un-carrier" strategy in March 2013. AT&T and Verizon also switched around 2013, and Sprint around 2014.

Boost and MetroPCS had transitioned to offer monthly plans in the mid-2000s. Cricket offered monthly plans since their creation in 1999.

Trivia.

The amount of U.S. cell phone subscribers doubled from 1998 to 2002, from about 69 million to 140 million. That number was doubled again by 2009, at 285 million.

The 1st camera phone was introduced in Japan in Nov. 2000 by J-Phone (now part of Vodafone). In 2004, nearly 150 million camera phones were sold worldwide.

By late 2012, more than 1 billion smartphones of all types were in use worldwide.

The 1st virus for flip phones:

In late spring 2004, the 1st computer virus to infect mobile phones was detected. Called the Cabir virus, it infected certain types of phones and would activate itself every time the phone was turned on to display the word Caribe on the menu screen. It would then use the phone's network to find other victims. The virus was essentially harmless and problem was corrected.

Population of Androids vs. Apple smartphones.

The 1 billionth Android smartphone was activated in Sept. 2013, while for Apple, July 2016.

In the 3rd quarter of 2016, 87.5% of smartphones worldwide were Androids, with iOS at 12.1%.

According to an April 2017 StatCounter report, Android overtook Microsoft Windows to become the most popular OS for total Internet usage.

Google announced Android had 2 billion active users in May 2017. Apple announced 2 billionth sold in Sept. 2021.

Apple surpassed Android users in the U.S. in June 2022. Android was in the lead since 2010. Globally, Androids hit a peak of 77.32% worldwide in July 2018, down to under 70% in Jan. 2022.

According to an April 2022 article, Androids make up 84% in Africa, 81% in Asia, and 90% in South America, compared to iOS at 14%, 18%, and 10%. In Oceana, iOS at 54% and Androids at almost 45%.

Apple prices as of Aug. 2023: cost $649 to $999+. The latest iPhone 14 with 6.1 inch display starts at $799, while plus version starts at $899.

Apple surpasses Samsung in Jan. 2024. The Nokia 3310, was 1 of the world's best selling flip phones, and by 2005, the Finnish company had sold its 1 billionth mobile phone. Then Steve Jobs announced the iPhone on Jan. 9, 2007. The 1st iPhone was offered at $499. Apple sold 1.4 million iPhones in 2007, with 80% of those sales during Q4, compared to Nokia that sold 7.4 million mobile phones in Q4 2007. However, there were no apps on iPhone yet, not until 2008. Apple didn't reach a milestone until 2011, when 50 million were sold for the 1st time in a year (72 million), then 231 million in 2015. Apple didn't surpass Samsung until Jan. 2024, where it's market share was 20.1%, 19.4% Samsung, 12.5% Xiami, and 47.9% others. Samsung has held the spot since 2010.

31. If I own a landline phone number, can I transfer the number to a cell phone?

Generally yes, provided you have the landline account # and landline pin #, as well as the landline company is willing to transfer it over to the cell phone company. If the landline refuses, the cell phone company may take the issue to regulatory authorities for resolution. It also appears not all cell phone companies have this capability.

My personal story Feb. - March 2024: my father had switched between T-mobile to AT&T back to T-mobile, but on the way back, he didn't have the pin codes, so he got a new number instead. But after he died a year later, many of his old accounts were still connected to his own phone number. I called AT&T to acquire it, and they said they no longer owned it, it was now owned by RCN. (The number still was not registered to a person.). So after calling RCN, they said it is a landline-only #, and the only way, is to acquire it as a landline 1st. After acquiring it to a landline, I called again to transfer it to a cell phone, and they said if I were to get a cell phone with them, the number would be randomly generated, I would not be able to get the specific landline number. So I went to several Boost, MetroPCS, and Cricket stores, about it, and half of them said yes, half of them said no. For a Cricket store that said yes, when they entered the # in their computers, then said they could not. Went to T-mobile, and they said you have to call their customer care for it, as no physical store can.

So, the answer is T-mobile was able to import it to a cell phone, but not without making lots of mistakes. 1st, you call them to ship a new flip phone over, then call again to activate it. For the shipment phone call, I gave them the RCN account # and pin. Then, when the unactivated cell phone arrived, the next person I called, was able to activate it in real-time, meaning they called the landline #, and the cell phone rang - not the landline, and we talked on the cell phone. However, that employee did not ask for the RCN account # or pin, and after we hung up, the situation was immediately reversed. When I called the # again, this time the landline rang, not the cell phone. So I immediately called T-mobile, and this time the employee asked for the RCN account # and pin #. They also asked for the IMEI number, whereas the previous employee had asked for the SIM card #. Then, the employee said it will take 24 hours, so wait until tomorrow. When tomorrow came, the phone # still belonged to the landline, so called T-mobile again, and they said the number looks to be in reserve, try testing it after 5 p.m. At 7 p.m., it still did not work, and that was on a Saturday, and calling T-mobile again, said it looks like RCN has agreed to give the number to midnight of Monday morning, which is 2 more midnights from that day.