I also really doubt that it "...might be one of the most important technological innovations ever". True, it has launched and multi-gazillion-euro industry but I'm not sure it has added much to our lives really. Not like the bicycle, for example.

There are more mobile phone accounts that there are people in Ireland (yes, more than one for every man, woman and child). I think they're genuinely useful for emergency personnel, otherwise very few of us need them.