Cellular telephone’s first 25 years will be celebrated at Cellular 25, on October 13, in Chicago. Following a ceremony at Soldier Field marking the launch of cellular telecommunications, there will be a dinner reuniting pioneers of the wireless industry. CTIA—The Wireless Industry Association is sponsoring that program and is co-sponsoring Cellular 25.
The Cellular 25 celebration marks the kickoff for the Wireless History Initiative (WHI), a broad-based, non-profit industry foundation forming to preserve and promote the history of wireless telecommunications through professional networking and educational outreach to the general public. WHI also plans to document the paging, public safety, and private radio services that pre-date cellular. Some of these offerings existed as early as the 1920s.
The Initiative was launched by Arlene Harris, founder of Jitterbug and CBSI, now Convergys; Elizabeth Maxfield, attorney and former senior vice president of CTIA, and founder of CIBERNET; and Judith (Lockwood) Purcell, managing director of Coracle Group LLC and founding editor of RCR Wireless News, Wireless Week, and other telecom business publications.
“We are planning a landmark occasion with attendees who were instrumental in creating and commercializing this great industry 25 years ago and even earlier,” said Harris. “Individuals and trade associations across the industry have responded enthusiastically to our organizing efforts, and we look forward to building upon this strong momentum.”