Test Your Wireless Knowledge

1. How many cell phone subscribers are there in the U.S. today?

a. 50,000

b. 500,000

c. 104,000,000

d. 150,000,000

2. How many new wireless subscribers sign up daily?

a. 1,500

b. 15,000

c. 86,000

d. 67,000

3. When did the FCC grant the first commercial license for cell phones?

a. 1972

b. 1980

c. 1983

d. 1994

4. What company was that first license awarded to?

a. AT&T;

b. Pacific Bell

c. Verizon Wireless

d. Nokia

5. How many people worldwide are expected to be using wireless phones by 2005?

a. 1.26 billion

b. 3 billion

c. 853 million

d. 15 million

6. Which country has the greatest per-capita usage of cell phones?

a. Finland

b. Japan

c. United States

d. China

7. Global positioning satellites have played a key role in the popularity of various wireless devices. When was the first GPS launched?

a. 1962

b. 1978

c. 1987

d. 1990

8. GPS was originally designed for what use?

a. To assist emergency vehicles in navigating city streets

b. To help locate lost hikers

c. For military use

d. To track satellites in orbit

9. How many GPS satellites are in orbit today?

a. 5

b. 15

c. 18

d. 24

10. All wireless devices have their own band on the radio spectrum. What frequency band is assigned to cell phones?

a. 88 to 108 megahertz

b. 215 to 220 megahertz

c. 145 to 437 megahertz

d. 824 to 849 megahertz

* * *

ANSWERS

1. c

2. d

3. c

4. a

5. a

6. a

7. b

8. c

9. d

10.d

Sources: Cellular Telecommunications Industry Assn., Howstuffworks.com, Times research

Researched by NONA YATES / Los Angeles Times