Great Phone. Outstanding for its time. Good even today. Has a lower specific absorption rate (SAR) than most of today's phones. This means that very little radio frequency radiation is absorbed by people using it. Why? Well, this is because the antenna is external and absorbs most of the RF waves emitted from the network tower(s) to the phone. This is actually healthier than an internal antenna as an internal one needs to be much stronger than necessary in order to receive and transmit signals through the casing of the phone. This puts the user at risk as a lot more "noise" is made by the antenna while calls are on. By "noise" I mean noise that is below the hearing range of most people but that affects them nonetheless. This "noise" is extra RF radiation around the user while using a device with an internal antenna. The more there is, the more is absorbed. This can result in subconscious cellular stress thus causing anxiety.

In conclusion, the external antenna may not have been liked by some but it is more practical, healthy, safe, and efficient than the internal antenna as explained by the reasons cited above.