Learn English – Cell phone? Cell? Mobile phone? What’s the “correct” term

telephoneterminologyvocabulary

What's that type of phone called that you don't need a cable for and you can use everywhere in the world (provided there's coverage ;-))?

And what differences are there between the regions? USA/UK/AUS etc… and even within, say, the US (or even UK). I've even read rumors that in parts of the east of the US, people use the term "handy" (which is a really crazy German "Americanism").

EDIT: Clarification: The colloquial usage is more interesting (to me) than the "correct" official terminology (though that's of interest, too).

Best Answer

In the UK, we use mobile and/or phone, and perhaps even mobi/moby (though I've never seen it written that way outside text messages.

In the US, I've heard of cellular phone/cell phone/cell, and in Germany they call them handies (which still makes me chuckle for no good reason).