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PAGE 2, WIIITB Fim PRESS, DURHAM MOVES. JULY 15, 1987 Cellular phone service keeps growing By DONNA DONALDSON What started out as a small TV maintenance and installation ser- vice in the early 1950's, Williams Communications Services Ltd. has since grown and expanded into the large two-way radio company it is today. It has also broadened its services to become the "local arm" of Can- tel cellular phones. "Cellular telephones became a reality as a result of the integration of telephone, radio and computer technology," says Harold Seibel, owner of Williams Communication, located at 381 Taunton Rd. E., Oshawa. Bruce Williams founded the company in the 1950's and made his entry into the two-way radio in- dustry in 1959. Seibel joined Williams' wife, Dorothy, in par- tnership in 1976. a "The early users for two-way radios were the police depar- tment," says Seibel. As users for two-way radios reached a high volume the spec- trum became congested and led to use of common community repeaters, in which people would share channels on a party line basis. Within the last five years, Seibel says the application of modern technology to shared repeaters has led to the invention of the trunk radio service. The trunk radio service uses a number of repeater frequencies controlled by a computer. DON SEIBEL, operations and displays his car phone. The Oshawa engineering manager of Williams company is the local arm of Cantel Communications Services Ltd. cellular phones. Free Press photo "It's a forerunner to the technology, used in the cellular telephone,"says Seibel. Seibel's interest in electronics started in Saskatchewan in the 1920's, when he was about four years old. "My grandfather had a Model T4 car with wooden box spark coils under the hood. This created curiosity in me surrounding the fact you could get a shock from the ignition system," he said. Seibel says he had to make his own entertainment as a child, and did so through reading. He found a make-your-own telegraph kit advertised in a magazine. He ordered it, assem- bled it, and learned Morse code. At 17, he enlisted'in the air force in technical and radio com- munications. While awaiting the reporting age of 17½ he had worked in the Arctic at the Hudson Bay Compny, on con- tract with the government taking weather reports. In 1948 Seibel started working at Motorola in sales and servicing, un- til he joined Williams Com- munication in 1976. Son Donald works along with him as operations and engineering manager. His company has installed the pilot program to Oshawa ambulan- ces. This enabled ambulance atten- dants to send electro-cardiograms to the Oshawa General emergency department. They also installed a complex radio system for Durham Regional Police that provides com- munication to cover 1,000 sq. miles. As a security requirement during the Pope's visit, Seibel installed a communications system for an emergency communications centre bus. The Cantel cellular phone was inaugurated in Canada on July 1, 1985. There are 33 service centres across Canada. "We are the local arm of Cantel. We are the one-stop shop for har- dware, installation and servicing," says Seibel. Local businessmen Bill Little, of Marketing and Motivation Ltd. in Whitby, was one of the first to sign up for the cellular phone in March 1985 to be ready for the servicc in July. Seibel says the Cantel cellular phone makes up 20 per cent of his business. The other 80 per cent is two-way radio installation, ser- vicing and hardware. "The cellular phone is really more than just a phone in your car. It provides many systems- call waiting, call forwarding," says Seibel. He says customers using the cellular telephone range from real estate and business people to a people who have everything else." He says surveys taken in the United States show there were ac- tually fewer car accidents in drivers having cellular phones. "If a person is going to be late for work he will be upset. If they have a car phone, they can phone work," says Seibel. This, he says relieves their anxiety, thus preventing them from getting into an accident. He also says car phones are useful for drivers in reporting ac- cidents. The Cantel phone has a no charge 911 number. "It this business it advances so rapidly. Just to keep up with it is a real challenge. That's what makes it so interesting;" says Seibel. AUTO UPHOLSTERY CLEANING (Fabric Only) FREE DEODORIZINGI 723-5060 FABRI.COAT Also Available CALL FOR FREE ESTIMATE INSURANCE COSTS SOARING!! Before you renew your Auto or Home Insurance Catl and Compare... For a complete insurance review, Cali and arrange a mutually convenient appointment... Of course there is no obligation PETER DILELLO 24 RESOLUTE CRESCENT, WHITBY 666-2090 AUTO-HOME-LIFE-GROUP-DISABILITY-RRSP