July 1, 2005

1985: Company founded by seven former Linkabit employees. Several months later, co-founder Irwin Jacobs gets an idea to use former World War II technology in cell phone communications.

1988: OmniTRACS satellite tracking system is put into use by the first trucking company to purchase the system.

1989: Qualcomm demonstrates its cell-phone technology, code-division multiple access, to the industry.

1991: The company has its initial public offering of stock, with a split-adjusted price of 49 cents a share. (At the time, the 3.2 million shares sold for $16.) The stock closed yesterday at $33.01.

1993: The Telecommunications Industry Association adopts Qualcomm's technology as a North American digital standard for cell phones.

1995: World's first commercial launch of a wireless network using Qualcomm's technology in Hong Kong.

1997: San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium becomes Qualcomm Stadium after the company pays $18 million for 20-year naming rights.

March 2005: Co-founder and chief executive Irwin Jacobs announces his retirement as CEO and Anthony Thornley announces his retirement as president. Son Paul Jacobs is tapped to become the next CEO, while Steven Altman is named the next president, effective today.