1981: Flat Tire, Big Tech Revelation

????

Picture this: cruising north on I-35 just south of OKC with my girlfriend and her mom, Mrs. Garrett. Life was good—until boom, flat tire. Naturally, I leap into action, offering to swap it out. But Mrs. Garrett? She politely waves me off.

My first thought? She doesn’t want me anywhere near her shiny new Benz. Fair enough. But what happened next completely blew my 18-year-old mind and, looking back, might have set the wheels in motion (pun intended) for my future career in telecom.

Mrs. Garrett casually pulls out a bag phone (hidden like buried treasure in the console) and places a call. I didn’t even know what I was seeing—mobile phones were stuff of science fiction in 1981 rural Oklahoma! But there it was. Within 30-40 minutes, a repairman arrived, and we were back on the road.

Jaw? On. The. Floor. ??

At the time, my high school had ONE computer (an Apple II, I think), and the only tech I knew about was what my dad had tinkered with in the 60s—massive machines with about the same power as a Commodore VIC-20. The idea of calling for roadside assistance from the highway? That was next-level futuristic to me.

The 1980s were full of tech breakthroughs that shaped the world we know today—advancements that might feel like ancient history to anyone born in the 2000s. (Cue Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” playing in the background.) ??

Ericsson was at the forefront of many of these innovations, as highlighted in the Ericsson Technology Review, now celebrating its 100th year.

Curious about what else was shaking up the 80s tech scene?

Check out the article below and explore some incredible highlights like:

?? The Ericsson SunWind in 1982—combining solar and wind power to run telecom equipment

?? The rise of Fiber Optics and the launch of TELE-X, the Nordic satellite for TV and data

???https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/ericsson-technology-review

#EricssonTechnologyReview #Innovation #TelecomHistory #Technology #Connectivity #TeamEricsson