Horst Willingshofer’s mobile phone has been around for almost three decades. You can still make calls with it.
When did you buy your first mobile phone? It was 1995 for Horst Willingshofer from Mürzzuschlag.
At the time, he paid about 6,000 schillings for his “Ericsson GH 198” – the employee discount had already been withheld. Because Willingshofer was working for a telecommunications company in Kindberg at the time. He couldn’t count on the black device to make headlines one day.
official record
But that’s exactly what happened: His phone was officially named Austria’s oldest working mobile phone by the Forum Mobilkommunikation (FMK). After a large-scale appeal – also on television – an ex-colleague who was aware of Willingshofer’s ‘treasure’ encouraged him to participate.
Since his mobile phone was produced in 1993 and thus officially 29 years old, he confidently won the competition. FMK now covers its mobile phone costs for two years.
“It was my first cell phone and I was building a house at the time. That’s why there’s a lot of emotions involved,” the proud owner recalls in an interview with “Steirerkrone”. “I’ve used it for years, but never threw it away.”
The soldering iron had to go
Willingshofer has used it time and again to check its functionality. One day, when the original rechargeable battery that came with it gave up the ghost, he spontaneously improvised: “A pack of five batteries and two soldering tips – and it worked again.”
The old device is even good for surprises: Willingshofer only recently found out that he can use it to receive text messages.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
