COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334220

Wireless Communication Equipment Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

46companies1865–2000founding years38still active8no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedNokia Corporation
1865
FoundedMarconi plc
1886
FoundedNEC Corporation
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
FoundedNortel Networks Corporation
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedRaytheon Company
1922
FoundedSAGEM S.A.
1924
FoundedMotorola, Inc.
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedKoor Industries Ltd.
1944
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedSANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
1950
FoundedC-COR.net Corp.
1953
FoundedWinegard Company
1954
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedAnaren Microwave, Inc.
1967
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1980
EnvironmentSuperfund law makes polluters pay for cleanup.
FoundedBairnco Corporation
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedCarlton Communications PLC
1983
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedQUALCOMM Incorporated
1985
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedCIENA Corporation
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedTelecom Italia Mobile S.p.A.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedL-3 Communications Holdings, Inc.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
Thomas & Betts Corporation →
Active · founded 1917
Thomas & Betts Corporation (T&B) is a leading global manufacturer of electrical connectors and components.
Thomas & Betts Corporation →
Active · founded 1917
Thomas & Betts Corporation (T&B) is a leading global manufacturer of electrical connectors and components.
Raytheon Company →
Active · founded 1922
Raytheon Company is the third largest defense contractor in the United States, trailing only the Boeing Company and…
Raytheon Company →
Active · founded 1922
Raytheon Company is the third largest defense contractor in the United States, trailing only the Boeing Company and…
SAGEM S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1924 · France
1940s:Company begins production of telex machines.
SAGEM S.A. →
Defunct · founded 1924 · France
1940s:Company begins production of telex machines.
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Koor Industries Ltd. →
Active · founded 1944 · Israel
Koor Industries Ltd.
Koor Industries Ltd. →
Active · founded 1944 · Israel
Koor Industries Ltd.
Andrew Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Andrew Corporation is an international supplier of communications equipment, systems, and services.
Andrew Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Andrew Corporation is an international supplier of communications equipment, systems, and services.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
C-COR.net Corp. →
Active · founded 1953
Based in State College, Pennsylvania, C-COR.net Corp.
C-COR.net Corp. →
Active · founded 1953
Based in State College, Pennsylvania, C-COR.net Corp.
Winegard Company →
Active · founded 1954
1980s:John Winegard retires and is succeeded by his son, Randy Winegard.
Winegard Company →
Active · founded 1954
1980s:John Winegard retires and is succeeded by his son, Randy Winegard.
Siemens AG →
Active · founded 1966 · Germany
Founded to manufacture and install telegraphic systems, Germany-based Siemens AG has prospered and grown over 155 years…
Siemens AG →
Active · founded 1966 · Germany
Founded to manufacture and install telegraphic systems, Germany-based Siemens AG has prospered and grown over 155 years…
Anaren Microwave, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Anaren Microwave, Inc.
Anaren Microwave, Inc. →
Active · founded 1967
Anaren Microwave, Inc.
Bairnco Corporation →
Active · founded 1981
Bairnco Corporation is a multinational company with subsidiaries operating in two business segments: engineered…
Bairnco Corporation →
Active · founded 1981
Bairnco Corporation is a multinational company with subsidiaries operating in two business segments: engineered…
Carlton Communications PLC →
Defunct · founded 1983 · United Kingdom
Carlton Communications PLC has thrived for more than a decade in the cramped, highly regulated waters of the British…
Carlton Communications PLC →
Defunct · founded 1983 · United Kingdom
Carlton Communications PLC has thrived for more than a decade in the cramped, highly regulated waters of the British…
QUALCOMM Incorporated →
Active · founded 1985
QUALCOMM Incorporated (Qualcomm) is a wireless communications company dedicated to the creation of innovative mobile…
QUALCOMM Incorporated →
Active · founded 1985
QUALCOMM Incorporated (Qualcomm) is a wireless communications company dedicated to the creation of innovative mobile…
ViaSat, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
ViaSat, Inc.
ViaSat, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
ViaSat, Inc.
CIENA Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
CIENA Corporation is a leading maker of advanced optical networking components for telecommunications.
CIENA Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
CIENA Corporation is a leading maker of advanced optical networking components for telecommunications.
Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1995 · Italy
Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A., or TIM, is not only Italy's leading mobile communications company--with more than 26…
Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1995 · Italy
Telecom Italia Mobile S.p.A., or TIM, is not only Italy's leading mobile communications company--with more than 26…
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1997
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc., through its L-3 Communications Corp.
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1997
L-3 Communications Holdings, Inc., through its L-3 Communications Corp.
Garmin Ltd. →
Active · founded 2000 · Cayman Islands
Aviation products accounted for 20 percent of revenues.
Garmin Ltd. →
Active · founded 2000 · Cayman Islands
Aviation products accounted for 20 percent of revenues.
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