Robert C. Simmonds Receives Prestigious RABC Award of Excellence

The Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) recently named Robert C. (Bob) Simmonds this year's recipient of the RABC Award of Excellence.

Widely regarded as one of Canada's leading wireless communications engineers, Bob has used his knowledge and know-how to lead several different wireless and electronics companies in Canada. For almost 30 years, Bob has exercised his leadership in wireless communications. He co-founded Lenbrook Group with his father, David S. Simmonds, as well as Clearnet Communications and several other companies.

Bob served as Clearnet's Chairman of the Board and Executive Vice President, Regulatory until October 2000, when the company was acquired by TELUS Corporation. He also served as the President of Clearnet from 1985 to 1992.

Under Bob's leadership, Clearnet pioneered 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR, also known as trunked radio) service in Canada in 1983. In fact, Clearnet was Canada's first 800 MHz SMR operator and quickly became Canada's largest. In 1994, Clearnet acquired Motorola's Canadian SMR operations and became a public company, later launching two state-of-the-art digital wireless networks. In 1996, Clearnet launched a national Enhanced SMR (ESMR) network known as "Mike", using Motorola's iDEN technology. In 1997, Clearnet launched Canada's first national CDMA Personal Communications Services network. By 2000, Clearnet had grown to become one of Canada's top 100 public corporations.

Throughout his entire career, Bob has been heavily involved in spectrum and regulatory activity relating to key wireless services, such as SMR, ESMR, cellular radio, PCS, paging, and to equipment such as CB and cordless telephones, playing a key role in establishing many of Industry Canada's radio and spectrum policies, frequency band plans and equipment standards.

For many years, Bob was TELUS' primary representative at the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, including a term as Chair of its Board of Directors. Bob continues to serve as the Chair of the Mobile and Personal Communications Committee of RABC, and is a member of the RABC Executive Committee.

Bob was also an active member of EFC as a manufacturer of telecommunications equipment in the 1970s and 1980s. He has maintained his relationship with EFC, through Lenbrook, to this day. EFC congratulates Bob on this important and well-deserved recognition.