Qualcomm

History

Qualcomm Incorporated is an American global semiconductor company headquartered in San Diego, CA that designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecommunications products and services. Qualcomm is best known for pioneering communication systems for the transportation industry and mobile Internet technology on cellular devices. In July 1985, seven telecommunication veterans Franklin Antonio, Adelia Coffman, Andrew Cohen, Klein Gilhousen, Harvey White, and Andrew Viterbi met in Irwin Jacobs’ San Diego home to discuss the founding of Qualcomm, Inc. intended to stand for Quality Communications. Qualcomm began along Linkabit’s lines with government projects. They developed high-speed data communications for the three major armed services to transmit data at military test ranges. Qualcomm broke into the transportation industry in 1988 with their OmniTRACS technology. OmniTRACS were a satellite-based data communications system for the transportation industry that enables truck fleet operators to effectively track and monitor their vehicles in the field. Their first major order was from Schneider National Trucking Company. In 1989, Qualcomm and PacTel Cellular staged a demonstration of the CDMA technology to 50 of the wireless industry’s most influential leaders; this proves successful within six months. Qualcomm is the first of Linkabit’s spin-off companies to go public; they made an initial public offering of 4 million shares in December of 1991. In February of 1993, Qualcomm demonstrated basic packet data (TCP/IP) services over CDMA, establishing leadership as an early advocate for mobile Internet connectivity. Qualcomm introduced the industry’s first dual-mode CDMA-AMPS mobile phone and in July of 1993, the U.S. Telecommunications Industry Association adopted CDMA as a cellular standard. In 2013, the University of California, San Diego renamed its division of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), Qualcomm Institute for short.

Company website: http://www.qualcomm.com

Company timeline: http://www.qualcomm.com/about/history