Early 'car phones' were simply multi-channel 2 way radios with a switchboard at the other end. You'd pick up the receiver, flip to a channel with no voice traf

Early 'car phones' were simply multi-channel 2 way radios with a switchboard at the other end. You'd pick up the receiver, flip to a channel with no voice traffic, announce your personal code (DR83229 for example), and ask the operator to patch you through to a phone number.