This week, twenty five years ago, a 33-year-old man purchased a cellular phone for $2,000 that was as big as a luggage bag.

Victor Surerus was a Funeral Director and he bought the phone from Kawartha TV and Stereo in Peterborough, Ontario. This purchase made him the first cell phone buyer in Canada.

This week it will be 25 years since the time Bell Cellular and Cantel, unveiled their wireless networks on July 1, 1985. Since that time the industry has witnessed tremendous growth from a few thousand users to 23 million subscribers.

At its launch 25 years ago, the analysts were of the view that it would not be much popular. But, today this industry is worth $16-billion.

In those days the mobile phones were not very portable and it was carried over the shoulder in briefcase or a bag. It had a removable hand set and was connected with a chord.

Many people were of the view that it was an upgradation of the original versions of car phone. Mr. Surerus said that the device was not akin to a suitcase but was like a large bag. Those days, it required a lot of money to buy such a phone.