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First Woman, Arlene Harris, Inducted Into Wireless Hall of Fame
[May 31, 2007]

First Woman, Arlene Harris, Inducted Into Wireless Hall of Fame


DEL MAR, Calif. --(Business Wire)-- The co-founder and CEO of GreatCall, Inc., Arlene Harris, became the first female innovator ever inducted into the RCR Wireless News Hall of Fame. Announced last Saturday, the Hall of Fame honor recognizes Harris' significant contributions to the development and advancement of wireless communications, including innovation of the first automation to manage paging as well as mobile telephone and cellular businesses in the fledgling wireless industries, starting as early as 1973.



Much of her early work provides a template for the way most wireless businesses are run today. Pieces of what she innovated now make up entire companies and categories in the wireless industry. Arlene started several companies, including what became Convergys (CVG), and created early cellular standards - including the method by which carriers provide roaming services - while she served on several committees of the FCC and TIA. More recently, she set her sights on serving the underserved with SOS Wireless, a cellular service for emergencies. Today, she champions her innovation at GreatCall, with its Jitterbug(TM) that provides easy to use, personalized cellular services with phones made exclusively by Samsung. GreatCall launched Jitterbug late last year to serve consumers seeking simplicity. GreatCall won the Andrew Seybold Choice Award for "Best New Company" earlier this year. Harris also has served as advisor and on the Boards of many start-up companies in addition to holding several issued and pending patents in wireless communications.

The May 28 issue of RCR Wireless News profiles Harris and her 45 year wireless career, from ICS Communications (now USA Mobility) to the early days of LifePage to her current effort with GreatCall to simplify mobile technology. "It's only fitting that Arlene Harris should be the first woman inducted into the Hall of Fame," said Tracy Ford, editor and associate publisher of RCR Wireless News. "Along with her many successful and varied business endeavors, I admire Arlene most for her efforts to get pagers into the hands of organ transplant candidates. Arlene showed how wireless technology can be used to help people during some of the most trying moments of their lives."


"It is incredibly humbling to be inducted, with my friend Jay Kitchen, into the Wireless Hall of Fame this year, joining the ranks of so many friends and great wireless industry pioneers, including my husband Marty Cooper," says Harris. "I am indebted to my family, who gave me my first opportunities to innovate. And I'm blessed to have worked in this exciting industry from almost its infancy with so many wonderful and talented people who have helped make my innovations happen. Many thanks to those who found my work worthy of this lovely recognition."

About the RCR Wireless News Hall of Fame

Now in its seventh year, the Wireless Hall of Fame is a joint effort of RCR Wireless News, CTIA and the Industrial Telecommunications Association. It recognizes outstanding contributions to the wireless industry. For more information about the Wireless Hall of Fame, please visit www.rcrnews.com. The 2007 Hall of Fame inductees are Arlene Harris and Jay Kitchen. Past inductees include: Marty Cooper, Robert Galvin, Irwin Jacobs, Fred Link, Craig McCaw, William McGowen, Andrew Viterbi, Edwin Armstrong, Morgan O'Brien, Thomas Carter, Jim Dwyer, Jai Bhagat, John Palmer, John Stupka, Richard Wiley, Mal Gurian, Dale Hatfield, Tom Wheeler, John Stanton, Dennis Strigl, Wayne Schelle and Brian Fontes.

This year's judges included: Mark E. Crosby, president and CEO of the Enterprise Wireless Alliance; Liz Maxfield, former senior vice president of CTIA; Michael Deuel Sullivan, partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer L.L.P; Robert B. White, founder of Pennington Consulting Group; Don Nelson, former CEO of U.S. Cellular; Joe Gallelli, president of The Gallelli Group; Mike Altschul, general counsel at CTIA; Liz Sachs, Lukas Nace Gutierrez & Sachs; Roger Entner, senior vice president at IAG Research; Michele Farquhar, partner at Hogan & Hartson L.L.P.; Mike Senkowski, partner at Wiley Rein L.L.P.; Jack Richards, partner at Keller and Heckman L.L.P.; Seamus McAteer, analyst at M:Metrics; and Peter Jarich, analyst at Current Analysis.

About GreatCall, Inc.

GreatCall was founded by Arlene Harris, 45 year veteran in wireless and creator of the highly regarded SOS emergency phone and Martin Cooper, inventor and father of the first portable cellular phone. GreatCall's vision is to connect people with family and friends when they are away from home by providing a simple phone and personalized services that work the way they want them to. The company's support and systems are centered on simplicity, personalization and an emphasis on convenience and comfort. GreatCall is located in Del Mar, CA. For more information, please visit www.jitterbug.com.

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