We started from the first generation analog cellular networks to the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) standard services. When the GSM era began, Vodacom and MTN were the very first companies to give us some the phones we loved most and the ones we will not forget in a hurry. These are some of the earliest phones used in South Africa so if you actually had the money to buy one of these phones back then, it goes without saying that you are definitely no longer a young adult.<\/p>\n
Oldest Cell Phones Ever Sold In South Africa<\/strong><\/h2>\n1. Orbitel 901<\/h2>\n
![\"Orbitel\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Orbitel.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOrbitel maintains the title of the first GSM mobile in the world to receive official type approval and also the first to receive an SMS. MTN introduced the Orbitel 901 into South Africa as a car phone as far back as 1992.<\/p>\n
2. Nokia 1011<\/h2>\n![\"Nokia-1011\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Nokia-1011-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/a><\/h3>\nNokia came to market as one of the strongest phones of its kind. So Nokia 1011, was commonly nicknamed\u00a0the \u201cBRICK\u201d and was one of the first mass-produced GSM phones. It boasted a 2 line, 8 character monochrome LCD display, had dimensions of 195 x 60 x 45mm and weighed 495g. The memory could hold 99 phone numbers, and the phone offered talk time of 90 minutes and standby time of 15 hours.<\/p>\n
3. Nokia 2010<\/h2>\n
![\"Nokia](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Nokia-2010-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nBy the standards of the 1990s, Nokia 2010 was quite the thing. It was a better-modified version of Nokia 1011, it had a talk time of between 70 and 150 minutes and weighs 275g. This one featured a call log, ringtone selection, ringtone volume and any key answer.<\/p>\n
4. Nokia 2110<\/h2>\n
![\"2110\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2110-1024x526.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Launched\u00a0in 1994, Nokia 2110 was the first phone to carry the iconic Nokia ringtone. It weighed\u00a0236g, had dimensions of 148 x 56 x 25 mm and offered 160 minutes talk time and 30 hours standby time.\u00a0It also featured a phone book which could store 125 entries.<\/p>\n
5. Alcatel HB100<\/h2>\n
![\"Alcatel04\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Alcatel04-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAlcatel HB100 featured an LCD screen, had dimensions of 170 x 65 x 23mm and offered a phone memory of 50 entries. It also had a calendar and a calculator which made it quite popular. The phone weighed 365g and offered 1.3 hours talk time and 28 hours standby time.<\/p>\n
6. Ericsson GH197<\/h2>\n
![\"ericsson_gh197_01\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/ericsson_gh197_01.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLaunched in 1993, the Ericsson GH197 was the digital version of a prior Ericsson. It was the most expensive phone in its time even more than Nokia and Motorola. It had top quality audio performance, due to Bang and Olufsen components, but was lagging behind with in terms of\u00a0memory for numbers as they could only be stored on the SIM card.<\/p>\n
7. Ericsson GH198<\/h2>\n
![\"Ericson](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ericson-GH198-1024x768.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nLaunched at almost\u00a0the same time as the GH197, The Ericsson GH198 features an LCD display, a built-in clock, an alarm, and a calculator. The phone had dimensions of 141 x 59 x 29mm and offered a 1 hour talk time and 50 hours standby time.<\/p>\n
8. Ericsson GH337<\/h2>\n
![\"Ericson](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ericson-337-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThis was quite the head turner in its time. It could receive messages, had a clock and alarm, used a mini sim and weighs 193g.<\/p>\n
9. Hagenuk MT-2000<\/h2>\n
![\"Hagenuk-MT-2000\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Hagenuk-MT-2000.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nManufactured originally in Denmark, Hagenuk MT-2000 was the first phone to have a game on it. It used a built-in antenna instead of the usual extending antennas.<\/p>\n
10. Motorola 7200<\/h2>\n
![\"motorrola\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/motorrola.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Motorola 7200 weighed 272g and offered 70 minutes talk time and 12 hours standby time. It had dimensions of 163 x 57 x 32mm.<\/p>\n
11. Motorola 8200<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nOrbitel maintains the title of the first GSM mobile in the world to receive official type approval and also the first to receive an SMS. MTN introduced the Orbitel 901 into South Africa as a car phone as far back as 1992.<\/p>\n
2. Nokia 1011<\/h2>\n<\/a><\/h3>\nNokia came to market as one of the strongest phones of its kind. So Nokia 1011, was commonly nicknamed\u00a0the \u201cBRICK\u201d and was one of the first mass-produced GSM phones. It boasted a 2 line, 8 character monochrome LCD display, had dimensions of 195 x 60 x 45mm and weighed 495g. The memory could hold 99 phone numbers, and the phone offered talk time of 90 minutes and standby time of 15 hours.<\/p>\n
3. Nokia 2010<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBy the standards of the 1990s, Nokia 2010 was quite the thing. It was a better-modified version of Nokia 1011, it had a talk time of between 70 and 150 minutes and weighs 275g. This one featured a call log, ringtone selection, ringtone volume and any key answer.<\/p>\n
4. Nokia 2110<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Launched\u00a0in 1994, Nokia 2110 was the first phone to carry the iconic Nokia ringtone. It weighed\u00a0236g, had dimensions of 148 x 56 x 25 mm and offered 160 minutes talk time and 30 hours standby time.\u00a0It also featured a phone book which could store 125 entries.<\/p>\n
5. Alcatel HB100<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nAlcatel HB100 featured an LCD screen, had dimensions of 170 x 65 x 23mm and offered a phone memory of 50 entries. It also had a calendar and a calculator which made it quite popular. The phone weighed 365g and offered 1.3 hours talk time and 28 hours standby time.<\/p>\n
6. Ericsson GH197<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nLaunched in 1993, the Ericsson GH197 was the digital version of a prior Ericsson. It was the most expensive phone in its time even more than Nokia and Motorola. It had top quality audio performance, due to Bang and Olufsen components, but was lagging behind with in terms of\u00a0memory for numbers as they could only be stored on the SIM card.<\/p>\n
7. Ericsson GH198<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nLaunched at almost\u00a0the same time as the GH197, The Ericsson GH198 features an LCD display, a built-in clock, an alarm, and a calculator. The phone had dimensions of 141 x 59 x 29mm and offered a 1 hour talk time and 50 hours standby time.<\/p>\n
8. Ericsson GH337<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThis was quite the head turner in its time. It could receive messages, had a clock and alarm, used a mini sim and weighs 193g.<\/p>\n
9. Hagenuk MT-2000<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nManufactured originally in Denmark, Hagenuk MT-2000 was the first phone to have a game on it. It used a built-in antenna instead of the usual extending antennas.<\/p>\n
10. Motorola 7200<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Motorola 7200 weighed 272g and offered 70 minutes talk time and 12 hours standby time. It had dimensions of 163 x 57 x 32mm.<\/p>\n
11. Motorola 8200<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/h3>\nNokia came to market as one of the strongest phones of its kind. So Nokia 1011, was commonly nicknamed\u00a0the \u201cBRICK\u201d and was one of the first mass-produced GSM phones. It boasted a 2 line, 8 character monochrome LCD display, had dimensions of 195 x 60 x 45mm and weighed 495g. The memory could hold 99 phone numbers, and the phone offered talk time of 90 minutes and standby time of 15 hours.<\/p>\n
3. Nokia 2010<\/h2>\n
By the standards of the 1990s, Nokia 2010 was quite the thing. It was a better-modified version of Nokia 1011, it had a talk time of between 70 and 150 minutes and weighs 275g. This one featured a call log, ringtone selection, ringtone volume and any key answer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Launched\u00a0in 1994, Nokia 2110 was the first phone to carry the iconic Nokia ringtone. It weighed\u00a0236g, had dimensions of 148 x 56 x 25 mm and offered 160 minutes talk time and 30 hours standby time.\u00a0It also featured a phone book which could store 125 entries.<\/p>\n Alcatel HB100 featured an LCD screen, had dimensions of 170 x 65 x 23mm and offered a phone memory of 50 entries. It also had a calendar and a calculator which made it quite popular. The phone weighed 365g and offered 1.3 hours talk time and 28 hours standby time.<\/p>\n Launched in 1993, the Ericsson GH197 was the digital version of a prior Ericsson. It was the most expensive phone in its time even more than Nokia and Motorola. It had top quality audio performance, due to Bang and Olufsen components, but was lagging behind with in terms of\u00a0memory for numbers as they could only be stored on the SIM card.<\/p>\n Launched at almost\u00a0the same time as the GH197, The Ericsson GH198 features an LCD display, a built-in clock, an alarm, and a calculator. The phone had dimensions of 141 x 59 x 29mm and offered a 1 hour talk time and 50 hours standby time.<\/p>\n This was quite the head turner in its time. It could receive messages, had a clock and alarm, used a mini sim and weighs 193g.<\/p>\n Manufactured originally in Denmark, Hagenuk MT-2000 was the first phone to have a game on it. It used a built-in antenna instead of the usual extending antennas.<\/p>\n The Motorola 7200 weighed 272g and offered 70 minutes talk time and 12 hours standby time. It had dimensions of 163 x 57 x 32mm.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n4. Nokia 2110<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Alcatel HB100<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n6. Ericsson GH197<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n7. Ericsson GH198<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n8. Ericsson GH337<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n9. Hagenuk MT-2000<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n10. Motorola 7200<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n11. Motorola 8200<\/h2>\n
![\"Motorola-8200\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Motorola-8200.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Siemens-S3\"](\"https:\/\/buzzsouthafrica.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Siemens-S3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n