ABSTRACT
In the fixed telephone network the final link with individual subscribers has traditionally been by means of a twisted pair cable, in other words the telephone handset is generally regarded as being immobile. Some minor changes to this situation became possible with the introduction of the cordless handset which allowed the subscriber limited mobility over a distance of a few metres. The concept of mobility has been extended from this limited movement to pan national and pan continental transit. Future forecasts suggest that the fixed telephone handset will eventually disappear completely and be replaced by mobile units allowing individual subscribers the facility of global travel with continuous personal communications.
