Four individuals joined the 76 wireless industry pioneers and innovators inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame. The event, hosted by the Wireless History Foundation (WHF), a nonprofit organization that has honored the hall of fame members for over fifteen years, celebrated Meredith Attwell Baker, Alex Gellman, Rob Mechaley, and Ed Whitacre.
“We had a record-setting event honoring these luminaries of the Hall of Fame Class of 2023,” said Jenifer Snyder, Executive Director of the Wireless History Foundation, “their contribution to the wireless industry paved the way for future innovation, connectivity, sustainability, and infrastructure for all wireless companies. Our existing Wireless Hall of Fame members and program sponsors are honored to welcome this impressive group of trailblazers into the Hall of Fame.”
- Meredith Attwell Baker: President and CEO of CTIA, former FCC Commissioner and former Acting Assistant Secretary for NTIA. As an industry advocate and a policymaker, Ms. Baker has played a role in nearly every major spectrum and wireless infrastructure decision of the past 25 years that have yielded nationwide 3G, 4G and 5G networks, carrying trillions of mega-bytes of broadband data each year for hundreds of millions of consumers, and supporting millions of jobs.
- Alex Gellman: Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Vertical Bridge, the largest private owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in the US, was one of the first in our industry to recognize the value of cooperative infrastructure resources. Formerly with Horizon Cellular, SpectraSite, Block B Cellular Corp., and Global Towers Partners.
- Rob Mechaley: Formerly with McCaw Cellular Communications, co-Founder of Clearwire, and Chief Scientist with AT&T Wireless, Founder of RadioFrame Networks, and holder of over 60 patents in the communications, technology and healthcare sectors, Mr. Mechaley led the team that designed and implemented the North American Cellular Network (NACN) which enabled intercarrier operability throughout the US and Canada. He was also responsible for proving and implementing CDPD as the first data capability on the analog networks.
- Ed Whitacre: Former CEO of Southwestern Bell Corp. and the former Chairman of General Motors. Credited with driving the US cellular industry to become a truly national network and also for serving as one of the longest running wireless carrier CEOs, Mr. Whitacre led Southwestern Bell to join BellSouth to create Cingular Wireless in 2000, and then in 2004, led Cingular to acquire AT&T Wireless, creating the largest national wireless carrier at the time.
In addition, the Foundation was proud to announce four scholars as recipients of the Wireless Hall of Fame Scholarship Program which seeks to provide scholarships for students pursuing a course of study in, or related to, the wireless industry, including areas such as law, policy, and engineering. Eridan.io, headquartered in California, was also honored as the inaugural Spark Award winner, which recognizes companies that are making advancements and innovations in the wireless industry.
The Wireless History Foundation and the evening’s honorees paid special thanks to the 2023 event sponsors:
- Bandwidth Level: AT&T, CTIA, Eagle River Investments, Verizon and Vertical Bridge
- Spectrum Level: Assurant, Boingo Wireless, DigitalBridge, T-Mobile and Trilogy Partnership
- Frequencies Level: Anterix, Asurion, Bluewater Wireless, Boldyn Networks, Consumer Cellular, Arlene Harris & Marty Cooper, Media Capital Advisors, NATE, NYU WIRELESS, Ontivity, Ookla, PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP, Samsung Networks, Telecom Ventures/Columbia Capital, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP and Wireless Infrastructure Association
- Connections Level: Competitive Carriers Association, Enterprise Wireless Alliance, Hogan Lovells, Dave & Veronica Mayo, Lois & Larry Movshin, Pearl TV, SBA Communications Corp., and Stuart Subotnick
To learn more about The Wireless History Foundation, visit the website HERE.
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