Comment by ghaff

Size/weight wasn't an issue as long as you were basically talking about a car-phone which was a valid but specific use-case. (Back in the day, my senior manager would occasionally give me rides from my car dealer and he'd put me on the phone with various senior sales people if there was something he wanted me to have a conversation with.) But you're right that the phone plans were also out of reach for all but execs and very high net-worth individuals. Heck, until the late 90s or so, cell phone usage was pretty expensive for a random person for all but very occasional use.