E20: Marty Cooper, "The Father of the Portable Cell Phone"

My Fame, Explained

Martin (Marty) Cooper, born in 1928, is a pioneer in the wireless industry, an inventor, entrepreneur, executive, and author. His essays and articles have been widely published. He is the author of Cutting the Chord. He believed the cellular phone should be a "an extension of its owner; that a telephone number represented that owner, not a place, not a desk, not a home, but a person."

Cooper conceived of the portable cellular phone and led the team at Motorola that created the first phone in 1973. He made the first public cell phone call on April 3,1973. He contributed to the technology of the wireless communications industry for over 60 years and contributed to every significant advancement in wireless communications, during this time.

Cooper lives with his wife, Arlene, in Del Mar, California. He has 2 children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. He’s passionate about staying mobile and healthy, continuing to learn every day, and promotes the effective use of the radio spectrum to serve the positive needs of all humanity.

Follow Marty Cooper on his website at DYNAllc.com

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