Short for Code-Division Multiple Access, a digital cellular 
technology that uses spread-spectrum techniques.

CDMA is a military technology first used during World War 
II by English allies to foil German attempts at jamming 
transmissions. The allies decided to transmit over several 
frequencies, instead of one, making it difficult for the 
Germans to pick up the complete signal. Because Qualcomm 
created communications chips for CDMA technology, it was 
privy to the classified information. Once the information 
became public, Qualcomm claimed patents on the technology 
and became the first to commercialize it