How Much Did Mobile Phones Cost In The 80s And 90s?

How much did mobile phones cost in the 80s and 90s?

New technology is always expensive; manufacturers need to recoup years' worth of research costs. Back in the 80s, you would have to shell out £3000 to get your hands on the world's first hand portable phone, the Motorola 8000X.

As the technology moved on, prices came down. Dealers cut prices aggressively to sign customers up to lucrative contracts and earn huge bonuses from the only two networks: Cellnet and Vodafone.

Motorola's 9800X in 1989 reversed this trend for a few months, when it redefined the mobile phone from a brick to something like a folding notepad. However, the initial launch price of £1765 did not last for long as competitors soon caught up.

The launch of GSM in the early 90s brought a new spate of high priced handsets, but discounting quickly caused prices to drop.

When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007 you needed only £269 to get the world's most desirable phone. However, purchase price was never the whole story with mobile phones and you had to sign up to an expensive contract with the exclusive network partner, O2.

These are some of the eye watering UK launch prices or recommended retail prices (RRP) for a selection of popular handsets from the early days. In reality, by waiting a few months people could get these phones for significantly less.

• £3000 - Motorola 8000X - 1985
• £2200 - Mitsubishi Roamer - 1986
• £1990 - Excell M1/M2 - 1985
• £1950 - Nokia (Mobira) Cityman 1320 - 1987
• £1795 - NEC 9A - 1987
• £1765 - Motorola 9800X - 1989
• £1595 - NEC P4 - 1992
• £1499 - NEC P3 - 1990
• £1495 - Motorola 8800X - 1992
• £1400 - Motorola StarTAC 85 - 1996
• £999 - Nokia Cityman 100 - 1992
• £950 - Nokia 9000 Communicator - 1996
• £869 - Ericsson GH197 - 1993
• £821 - Nokia 1011 1993 (Carphone Warehouse price August 1993)
• £800 - Panasonic F1 - 1992
• £762 - Motorola 3200 - 1993 (Carphone Warehouse price August 1993)
• £712 - Motorola 7200 - 1993 (November 1993)
• £700 - Nokia 2110 - 1994
• £599 - Technophone TP4 - 1992
• £449 - Nokia 101 - 1992
• £269 - iPhone - 2007 (UK launch price)

Add your comments

Add Comment

* Required information1000Powered by CommenticsPlease enter at least one item.Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Please enter at least one item.Item: Item: Item: Item: Item: Please enter the link of the websiteOptionally you can add display textPlease enter the email addressOptionally add any display textPlease enter the link of the imagePlease enter the link of the video{"commentics_url":"\/\/www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk\/commentics\/","page_id":97,"enabled_country":false,"country_id":0,"enabled_state":false,"state_id":0,"enabled_upload":false,"maximum_upload_amount":3,"maximum_upload_size":5,"maximum_upload_total":5,"securimage":true,"securimage_url":"\/\/www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk\/commentics\/3rdparty\/securimage\/securimage_show.php?namespace=cmtx_97","cmtx_wait_for_comment":"cmtx_wait_for_comment","lang_error_file_num":"A maximum of %d files are allowed to be uploaded","lang_error_file_size":"Please upload files no bigger than %.1f MB in size","lang_error_file_total":"The total size of all files must be less than %.1f MB","lang_error_file_type":"Only image file types are allowed to be uploaded","lang_text_loading":"Loading ..","lang_placeholder_country":"Country","lang_placeholder_state":"State","lang_text_country_first":"Please select a country first","lang_button_submit":"Add Comment","lang_button_preview":"Preview","lang_button_remove":"Remove","lang_button_processing":"Please Wait.."}

Comments (14)

Sort ByNewestOldest     pece60

Mam do sprzedania Nokia Talkman BBM-2 w bardzo dobrym stanie. Prawdopodobnie rok 1991. Czy jest ktoś zainteresowany? Jestem z Polski

17th January 2022 12:28amBarry

I have a Nokia 8800 still in its box !plastic protection still.on screen.Stainless model !

Any idea of value ? It was 2005 new.

22nd November 2021 11:07pmalbertWHAT WAS THE FIRST IPHONE? 9th July 2020 12:00amalbertintresting . 9th July 2020 12:00amGaryHi Does anyone know the value of Panasonic fixed mobiles from the early 80's?20th September 2019 12:00amleo hicksmy samsung gaxaly s5 mini i dont know how much it cost17th December 2018 12:00amde boi demwagwan piffting can i get your bbm pin xoxox2nd October 2017 12:00amde boi demwagwan piffting can i get your bbm pin xoxox2nd October 2017 12:00amRichard fallowsHi can you please help me I'm looking for a new battery for my mint Motorola Independent brick phone, I've tried eBay and the internet I'm finding nothing. Thanks10th October 2015 12:00amStevenHi Ricardo, The Pansonic EB2803 was an early GSM phone, but a transportable rather than a handportable. I've not seen any on eBay of late, but I would say around £20. Probably worth hanging onto for now!29th May 2014 12:00amRicardoHi, I have one Panasonic EB 2803 and i'm trying to know what is there real value, but i can't find any to sale. Can someone give me the idea for the value of him. He is working. Kind regards28th May 2014 12:00amJasoMy Panasonic F1 on BT Cellnet in december 1991 cost £399 delivered.17th March 2014 12:00amhihi7th June 2012 12:00amhihi7th June 2012 12:00am{"commentics_url":"\/\/www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk\/commentics\/","page_id":97,"is_permalink":false,"lang_text_view":"View","lang_text_reply":"reply","lang_text_replies":"replies","lang_text_replying_to":"You are replying to","lang_title_cancel_reply":"Cancel this reply","lang_link_cancel":"[Cancel]","lang_text_not_replying":"You are not replying to anyone","lang_button_loading":"Loading..","lang_button_more":"More Comments","date_auto":true,"show_pagination":false,"pagination_type":"button","timeago_suffixAgo":"ago","timeago_inPast":"a moment","timeago_seconds":"less than a minute","timeago_minute":"a minute","timeago_minutes":"%d minutes","timeago_hour":"an hour","timeago_hours":"%d hours","timeago_day":"a day","timeago_days":"%d days","timeago_month":"a month","timeago_months":"%d months","timeago_year":"a year","timeago_years":"%d years"}{"commentics_url":"\/\/www.mobilephonehistory.co.uk\/commentics\/","auto_detect":false}