The Wild Story Behind the First Cell Phone Call

A battle with a telecom giant. A stunt call on a New York sidewalk. A forgotten memo that rewired the world. Host Sony Kassam sits down with Marty Cooper, the father of the cell phone, and Arlene Harris, the first lady of wireless, to explore the innovation, politics, and high-stakes battle that pried connectivity out of corporate control and built the always-on world we live in today. Guests: Marty Cooper, engineer, entrepreneur, and "father of the cell phone." Arlene Harris, wireless entrepreneur, pioneer of prepaid cellular, and the "first lady of wireless.” Credits: 1440 Explores is a production of Rhyme Media for 1440 Media. This episode was produced by Nicolo Majnoni and edited by Dan Bobkoff. Our fact-checker is Meher Qazilbash, and our sound designer is Jay Cowit. The executive producer at Rhyme is Dan Bobkoff, and the executive producers at 1440 are Sony Kassam and Drew Steigerwald. Follow us for more curiosity-driven stories: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1440daily and https://www.youtube.com/@1440explores Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1440daily Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1440Daily/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@1440daily About 1440: 1440 is a community for the knowledge-obsessed, helping curious people stay informed and inspired daily. We live in an era of limitless information, yet limited understanding. Algorithms decide what we see. Misinformation spreads faster than the truth. The tools meant to expand knowledge often distort it. Enter 1440: a knowledge collective built on curiosity, connection, and care for the truth. Here, facts matter, thinking is valued, and people come together to understand the world. Curiosity isn’t just a trait—it’s a muscle. Exercised daily, it sharpens the mind, fuels discovery, and drives lifelong growth. Join the movement: https://www.join1440.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.