News
Virgin Mobile celebrates 100th anniversary of the mobile phone
11/05/2008
On Monday 12 May, Virgin Mobile will commemorate 100 years of the mobile phone by honoring its inventor Nathan Stubblefield, on the Virgin Media website.
Visitors to the Virgin Media website will be able to see images of Stubblefield’s devices, his original patent and pictures of the inventor at work. The site will also contain information of Stubblefield’s devices and why he never achieved the recognition his invention entitled him to.
Virgin Mobile founder Richard Branson comments: "Nathan is the father of the mobile phone, and I'm thrilled that we can celebrate the 100 year anniversary of his invention that in some way went on to change the way the world communicates."
It was on 12 May 1908, when Nathan Stubblefield (a farmer from Murray, Kentucky, USA) was awarded a patent for the 'wireless telephone', consisting of a system of wire suspended between poles with a transmitter placed on top of a train, carriage or even a boat. When the vehicle was near the transmitting wire, the signal carrying sound went through the air to the device and could be heard on the other end through a phone.
The patented device followed on from Nathan's earlier devices which transmitted phone signals through the ground or water via conduction over a distance of half a mile.
Nathan ultimately never achieved the level of fame and fortune which his device should have bought him but his device was the originator of the ubiquitous mobile phone in which billions of people around the world now rely on, on a daily basis.
To see Nathan's patent and image of his work, please visit www.virginmedia.com/digital
- Ends -
For press enquiries contact Alex Wilkinson at Borkowski on 020 7404 3000
About Virgin Mobile
Launched in 1999, Virgin Mobile is the UK’s largest mobile virtual network operator and uses T-Mobile's network and now employs over 1,700 staff. With 4 million customers, Virgin Mobile is part of Virgin Media and the group is the first to be able to offer ‘quadruple play’ to customers: mobile and fixed line telephony, broadband internet and television.
In the UK, Virgin Mobile phones are available direct on 0845 6000 600, online at virginmobile.co.uk or on the high street at approximately 5,000 outlets.
