Decluttering the house, we found my wife's old car phone. It is a Motorola, in a case about the size of a large book. Has a rubber antenna and a magnetic car top antenna. She used this phone when out in the boonies shoeing horses until she retired. The phone was always able to connect, especially when my pocket cell phone could not. My understanding was that this phone had more power than the newer cell phones, external antenna options, hence able to reach out and receive from greater distances.
Last service was through Verizon, many years ago. If we went to the wilds and wooley areas out west, away from interstates, , etc. does this phone have any use, or even able to connect with the latest cell phone towers etc. ?

I believe what your wife had was an older style analog signal phone.

They would connect even in the worst areas but would have static in the call.

All new towers and cell phones use digital signal to connect and I believe your wife’s old phone will not work.

It is a museum piece.

I doubt it. That's probably using some technology that's now obsolete to connect to a cell tower.

Definitely an analog phone. They worked that well because they were a 3w or 5w device where handheld phones off the time were only a fraction of that. There was also much less coverage then, too.

I would be surprised if there was any analog service left in the US.

Thanks guys, appreciate the information!
The devluttering continues!