The God of Coding, Becoming an IT Conglomerate

61. Catch mobile communication technology!(1)

The United States has had cell phones since the mid-1980s.

However, since analog radio (GSM) was used, the call quality was very poor, and since there was no specific technical standard, there were cases in which phone calls could not be made even if they were within the influence of the same base station if the carrier was different.

At this time, there was a company that first set the standard for the industry and opened the global mobile phone market beyond the US cell phone market.

It was ‘Motorola’ that developed the first mobile phone.

Motorola began to lead mobile phones with TDMA (time-division multiple access) technology, and when the US first selected TDMA as a technical standard, Europe and Asia followed suit and began installing base stations with TDMA as a technical standard.

However, although TDMA had improvements compared to GSM, it was a technology that could not be called a groundbreaking revolution.

So, in 1985, seven telecommunications experts established a research company in California to revolutionize mobile communication, and it was ‘Qualcomm’.

“Irwin! I got a call saying it was ready.”

“All right. Please tell them it will start soon.”

“okay!”

“ruler! everyone. Now let’s start the demonstration. Everyone please gather here.”

In Manhattan, New York, two of Qualcomm’s founders, Irwin and Viterbi, were busy.

Today was the second demonstration of Qualcomm’s CDMA technology.

Nearly 200 people from the industry, even government departments, and investors who were interested in demonstrating Qualcomm’s technology gathered at the site.

“Today’s technology demonstration will be held in the same format as last time. Here we have established a simple CDMA base station. And we built two of these phones for CDMA in-house. I have one, and I have the other in the car here.”

A person sitting in the driver’s seat of a car reached out the window and showed his cell phone to the crowd.

Irwin said, turning to the audience.

Some listened intently to what he had to say, while others expressed disapproval.

“And the car will drive all over Manhattan and talk to me on the phone. Please watch to see if the call is working properly.”

After Irwin’s words, the car started.

I looked back at the spectators for a while waiting for the cars to get far enough away.

Among the spectators was ‘Paul’, Motorola’s TDMA technician.

‘Because of that person…’

Irwin felt his teeth grinding when he saw him.

In fact, the technology demonstration we are doing now was the second.

When Qualcomm first completed the theory and research on CDMA technology, they were overjoyed and proposed a standard technology to the Communications Industry Association of America.

This is because it boasted excellent call quality that was clearly felt not only than the GSM method but also the TDMA method.

However, the offer was quickly rejected.

‘CDMA technology is theoretically good, but commercialization seems impossible.’

Only the answer came back.

So, Irwin and other Qualcomm employees managed to squeeze out the scarce research funds, produced two cell phones for CDMA, built a simple base station, and held a technology demonstration in San Diego, USA.

As we do now, we demonstrated the technology while traveling by car, and the result was, of course, successful.

So, after the successful demonstration, we once again proposed a technical standard, but this time, Motorola’s resistance was tremendous.

Especially the Paul you see over there.

‘San Diego is so rural. There are no people and there is not a single building over 5 stories. It will be meaningful only when it succeeds in a big city.’

The Telecommunications Industry Association, citing him, once again rejected Qualcomm’s technology.

So, with the thought that it was really the last time, we set up a simple base station again in New York and showed a technology demonstration in Manhattan, a big city among big cities.

-Tiriririri, ttiriririri

Just then, the cell phone Irwin was holding rang.

“Hello?”

– Hello?

When Irwin answered the call, a clear voice came out of the speaker connected to the cell phone.

“Wow! Success even in the big city!”

Irwin’s expression brightened as the crowd reacted positively.

Conversely, Paul’s expression darkened.

“Mr. Coffman. Where are you passing now?”

Irwin said with a nervous expression on his face.

Coffman was also one of the founders of Qualcomm.

It clearly showed how much effort Qualcomm put into this technology demonstration.

– Now, passing Madison Square Garden.

The crowd reacted to Coffman’s voice echoing through the speakers.

“Madison Square Garden is four miles from here.”

“Doesn’t it feel like you’re talking right next to me even though we’re 4 miles away?”

“The distance is still close, so we have to watch a little more.”

Irwin continued his conversation with Coffman in a relaxed manner.

and after some time

– Can you hear me? This is Queens now.

“Queens!”

“Queens is about 15 miles (25 km) away!”

“Is there anything wrong with the call quality yet?”

Irwin smiled triumphantly at the crowd’s even more vehement reaction.

“ruler. How are you guys? In our own pre-measurements, call quality was fine even up to 30 miles (50 km). This proves that building jungles and people have no effect on our technology.”

The technology demonstration was very successful, and Qualcomm’s employees were all excited.

All the spectators had good expressions.

And Hoyoung was also in the crowd.

Hoyeong also watched Qualcomm’s technology demonstration to the end with her eyes shining.

.

.

.

“Irwin! It’s been a lot of trouble. I’m so glad you were successful!”

“No, Copeman. You had a hard time driving. Where the hell have you been?”

“I think you went as far as Huntingdon?”

“haha! It was really hard.”

Huntingdon was a small town more than forty miles from Manhattan.

“By the way. Were there any investors or institutions that approached you separately?”

At Coffman’s question, Irwin shook his head with a firm expression.

“no. Unfortunately, no.”

“Was it because of Motorola’s influence?”

“Maybe.”

Contrary to the successful and explosive response on site today, no one approached them after the demonstration.

It was a distinctly different temperature compared to the usual technology demonstrations when various academic journals and investors approached to give business cards.

“Anyway, that kind of pressure will end if the American Telecommunications Industry Association recognizes it as a standard technology.”

“okay. If it is recognized as a standard technology, there will surely be enough investment, and we can also stably focus on research.”

Erwin and Coffman dreamed of a pink future.

“Unfortunately, you won’t be able to do it that way, right?”

Then someone disturbed their happy imagination.

“What did you just say… Who are you?”

“hello. I am Yoon, CEO of Gaia Investment. no see.”

The main character of the voice they harshly turned their heads and looked at was Hoyoung.

Hoyoung smiled slightly and handed each of them a business card.

“Investment…?”

“Are you an investment company?”

“yes. you’re right. Gaia Investments is an investment corporation headquartered on the Dallas side.”

Only Erwin and Cope, who learned that Ho-young was a corporation of an investment company, stood upright in front of Ho-young.

“Thank you for the business card. I am Erwin Jacobs. I am currently the CEO of Qualcomm.”

“hello. I’m Adelia Kaufman. I am a senior researcher and director of Qualcomm.”

The two bowed their heads and handed Hoyeong a business card.

Hoyeong politely put their business cards in her business card wallet.

“By the way, what did you just say? Are you saying you can’t do it?”

“First of all, today’s technology demonstration was really impressive.”

“thank you.”

“However, after today’s technology demonstration, it will be difficult to obtain standard technology recognition from the American Telecommunications Industry Association right away.”

“Why?”

“Because Motorola won’t let it go.”

Irwin’s expression naturally crumpled at the name Motorola.

In fact, wasn’t it because of them that I was able to demonstrate the technology in New York, where I couldn’t even sell it.

“Maybe I’ll catch the absurd pod and give it one more tech demonstration.”

Irwin’s face crumpled even more at Hoyoung’s words.

Seeing Irwin like that, Hoyoung continued.

“Perhaps this technology demonstration was conducted in an environment favorable to CDMA, so it is an excuse that it lacks reliability. I will propose a comparative test with TDMA later at the same time and in the same environment.”

“Keuk…”

Irwin thought for a moment about Hoyeong’s words, then continued with difficulty.

“If that happens, wouldn’t it be better? CDMA technology is overwhelmingly better than TDMA technology. That’s not what we think, it’s an objective test result. I guess I’ll just have to hold on until then. If only Motorola could win with that comparison demonstration…”

“for awhile. One more thing to say is that even if you beat Motorola, it won’t be an easy pass.”

“Why?”

“Do you think that Qualcomm is being denied standard technology recognition only because Motorola is against it?”

“So what?”

“Actually, it is because the Telecommunications Industry Association is rejecting CDMA itself.”

At Hoyoung’s words, Copeman said with a face that couldn’t hide his embarrassment.

“What on earth is the Telecommunications Industry Association of America? CDMA is an extremely advanced technology. Providing consumers with the highest quality service is what the Telecommunications Industry Association does!”

“Mr. Coffman is right. It’s not Mr. Kaufman that’s wrong here, it’s the Telecommunications Industry Association’s actions. Since TDMA was recognized as a standard technology just one year ago, TDMA base stations are already being built all over the country, and mobile phones that can be used in TDMA environments are being made. And the Telecommunications Industry Association is an organization that receives astronomical donations from such companies.”

Unlike Coffman, who was still confused, Irwin was rather calm.

“Are you saying that if CDMA is recognized as a standard technology, you are refusing it because you are afraid of a huge backlash from carriers and mobile phone manufacturers that have introduced facilities to produce TDMA-related equipment and terminals?”

Hoyoung also nodded slowly with a calm face.

Irwin looked at Hoyeong who nodded and continued.

“Actually, I thought to myself that it might be like that. But hearing it myself… I feel different. How did you find out about this?”

In fact, Hoyoung knew the details through Gaia, but of course he couldn’t tell the truth.

“I am an investor. I try to have as much information as possible about the trends and news about the companies I’ve been interested in. This is a secret, but the Telecommunications Industry Association has reliable sources.”

At Hoyeong’s words, Irwin nodded with a firm face.

He seemed to think that if the words came from inside the Telecommunications Industry Association, they could be trusted.

“The next comparative demonstration will happen next year at the earliest. You’ll obviously outperform in that comparison demonstration, but the telecommunications industry association will be sluggish.”

The furrow between Irwin’s forehead deepened.

All of Qualcomm’s funds were also raised to build the base station needed for this technology demonstration.

So, it was difficult to maintain right now.

“As I said earlier, I am an investor. And I really think very highly of the future of CDMA. I think it is the best in the world as a mobile communication technology.”

“Thank you for thinking so.”

“I will tell you straight forward. I want to invest in Qualcomm. How are you? Would you like to have dinner together and talk about investing?”

Hoyoung said softly.

Erwin and Coffman nodded their heads as if possessed by something.