Nortel
PCS 1930

The Nortel PCS 1930, a 1900 MHz variant of the Nortel 922, was announced in August 1997 along with its sister product, the PCS 1920.  These were full-featured GSM handsets offering popular features such as Caller ID, Last Number Redial, Personal Directory with up to 99 entries, dial-by-name, SMS messaging, and a programmable hot key. Both handsets delivered superior audio quality thanks to the same distinctive contoured earcup that was found in the previous-generation handset from Nortel, the PCS 1911. The PCS 1930 incorporated a unique new capability —  the exclusive Personal Audio Control, which Nortel described as "a revolutionary speech processing technology allowing the integration of a handsfree function and a high audio quality." The tiny front-facing loudspeaker was part of a patented design that incorporated tuned acoustic vents on the top and back of the handset to deliver superior audio performance in both on-ear and speakerphone modes. A directional microphone helped to reduce the impact of background noise that might be present when the handset was used in speakerphone mode.  Nortel anticipated that mobile phone users would come to expect easy-to-use high-quality speakerphone functionality when mobile, just as they did when using featured desktop telephones in their homes or offices. They also predicted, correctly, that simultaneous voice + data scenarios would proliferate — for example reading a text message on screen while conversing over the speakerphone. The phone’s design incorporated a flat base which allowed it to stand up on its own. There was a green button located at the top of the handset which activated the loudspeaker mode. In addition, there was an infrared (IR) sensor on the front face of the phone just to the left of the Nortel branding which automatically detected whether the phone was close to the user’s head or being held at arm’s length. The decision to implement a way of automatic disabling the speakerphone when the phone was raised to the user's head was based on extensive research done at Bell-Northern Research into end-user behaviours. It was also an important safety feature to reduce the likelihood of auditory damage if a loudspeaker at full volume was placed against the ear. Unlike most handsets at the time, the PCS 1930 handset incorporated speech recognition technology, which enabled voice-activated dialling. Up to 20 of the 99 directory entries could be configured with a ‘voice tag’. Each entry could then be dialled by voice command. The PCS 1920/1930 handsets were first demonstrated at the PCS’97 trade show in Dallas, Texas on 10-12 September 1997. The handsets were subsequently distributed through a number of PCS1900 operators in North America, including Microcell (Fido) and BellSouth Mobility. Notably, the US patent for the PAC speakerphone design (and others) were subsequently acquired by Apple.