While teaching at UCLA in the 1960s, Andrew Viterbi developed an algorithm that today is credited with making it possible to eliminate noise in cellular networks. The Viterbi algorithm has had a far-reaching impact and is used by all four international standards for digital cellular telephony.
Viterbi is probably best-known for being one of the co-founders of Qualcomm. In 1985, he founded the company along with Irwin Jacobs after they sold their prior venture Linkabit, a military communications firm. Currently, Viterbi is the president of the investment and advisory firm Viterbi Group LLC.
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/denny-strigl
[2] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/top-u-s-wireless-innovators-all-time
[3] http://www.fiercewireless.com/special-reports/tom-wheeler