Tiit Vähi made Estonia's first mobile call: "A half-brick-sized phone to my ear"

On 1 June 1991, Estonia's first mobile telephone call was made, with the honour falling to Transport and Communications Minister Tiit Vähi at the time. The minister recalls the historic moment in a light-coloured suit and with an enormous mobile telephone.

Estonia's mobile communications history began on exactly 1 June 1991, when Transport and Communications Minister Tiit Vähi held a device to his ear that he himself describes as a "half-brick-sized mobile telephone". This moment marked the making of Estonia's first mobile call and remains an important milestone in the nation's technological history to this day.

Vähi recalls that he wore a light-coloured suit that day and that making the call felt extraordinary at the time. "Of course, it's a proud feeling," he says when asked what this historic moment means to him. More than thirty years later, Estonia has become one of the world's most digitally advanced nations, yet it all began with that single call.

Today, mobile communications have become an inseparable part of Estonians' everyday lives, and Estonia is known for its innovative e-governance solutions. From the first cumbersome telephone, decades of development have brought smartphones that fit in a pocket and connect millions of people.