One of the world ’ s foremost wireless innovators , Qualcomm has an extraordinary history of firsts . Behind many breakthrough technologies that transform how the world connects , computes , and communicates , they are integrated into smartphones , smart cities and smart factories , semiconductors , processors and more as well as actively involved in the everyday technology used by billions of people .

QUALity COMMunications Seven employees of Linkabit - a firm established in 1968 that today boasts more than 75 indirect or direct spin-off companies - gather in the home of Irwin Jacobs , co-founder and former chairman of Qualcomm . Together , these engineers would pioneer the use of Code Division Multiple Access ( CDMA ) technology , which would change the world of wireless .

CDMA hits the market Based on theories of multiple frequencies that could be used to send a single radio transmission , the inspiration behind CDMA came from Hollywood stars of the 40s , Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil . ‘ Frequency hopping ’ was patented and proposed to the US government in WW2 to prevent signal jamming , but it was ignored and forgotten , until Qualcomm revived the concept . CDMA would become the basis for cellular networks , eventually overtaking the well established time division multiple access ( TDMA ).

18 April 2022