GSM And GPRS Mobile Systems

Field Mobile phones
Went Obsolete Early 2000s
Made Obsolete By By the introduction of 3G mobile technology
Knowledge Assumed Some fingers and half a brain
When useful Not likely

Those of us in Ye Olde United States often still have 2.75G (EDGE) cell phones at best; only you fancy Europeans and Japanese have 3.5 or 4 or whatever you're up to nowadays.

N.B. In the UK at least 3G coverage, and/or adoption, is still sparse to non-existent; leaving 2G and 2.5G, GSM phones the most common portable telecommunications standard. This is also true for Australia, especially the cheaper pre-paid phones.

And still the case in Finland, home of Nokia.