Jim Hobbs
James C. Hobbs
Partner, Andrew Seybold, Inc.
Prior to joining Andrew Seybold, Inc. in 2003, Mr. Hobbs retired from BellSouth as a senior manager with almost twenty years of mobile industry experience. His diverse and extensive wireless business activity includes the mid-1980s start-up of BellSouth Mobility (Director of Business Planning), BellSouth Chief Strategist-Wireless (M&A/Corporate Development Group), the start-up of BellSouth International/Worldwide Wireless Group, and the start–up of BellSouth Mobile Data Group (Vice President of Operations for eight years). Mr. Hobbs retired in 2003 as a Vice President of BellSouth International/Latin America where BellSouth operates nationwide cellular networks in nine countries. His most recent scope of responsibility included wireless data, partnerships & alliances, competitive and disruptive technology assessment, and he served as a member of the corporate strategic planning team.
Mr. Hobbs has extensive wireless product development experience and as a notable example, was actively involved in the initial development of both the Research In Motion (RIM) pager and BlackBerry email device concepts (BellSouth was RIM’s initial customer).
Prior to the merging of all the domestic BellSouth Wireless companies into the Cingular joint venture with SBC, the BellSouth Mobile Data Group’s domestic subsidiary (BellSouth Wireless Data) had approximately one million customers using true session-less packet-data technology. During the 1990s, this company was a true pioneer in developing vertical market segmentation/business development/sales and marketing techniques, successful partnership/alliance business models, direct and indirect distribution channels, and hardware and software products/applications.
Mr. Hobbs has served as Chairman of both the Personal Computing and Communications Association and Mobitex Operators Association. He received an MBA in 1971 and subsequently served as a Captain in the U.S. Army until 1974 when he began his professional career with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company in Atlanta.
