In India during the 1970s and 1980s, corded car phones were a rare but fascinating glimpse into early mobile communication. These devices were not mobile phones in the modern sense, but rather bulky radio-telephone systems wired directly into a vehicle. They operated more like shortwave or two-way radios, connecting the user to a central operator who would manually route the call.

The technology relied on radio frequency towers and limited range. Because of this, these car phones were mostly confined to big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Even then, coverage was patchy, and the service was expensive. Only a few individuals—such as high-ranking government officials, top industrialists, and film stars—had access to them. The installation required large equipment boxes in the trunk and a handset mounted near the driver, connected with a coiled cord.

These phones were primarily used for short, important conversations, usually routed through a telephone exchange operator. Privacy was minimal, and call quality was often poor. Still, in a country where even landline penetration was low at the time, having a car phone was a major status symbol.

Corded car phones marked the early stages of mobile communication in India. Though now obsolete, they paved the way for the mobile revolution that would arrive in the 1990s.