RTX Telecom has signed an agreement concerning the development of a GSM/TD-SCDMA chipset for the Chinese 3G TD-SCDMA standard with a tier-one supplier of cellular chip-sets. The TD-SCDMA part of the chipset will be based on RTX Intellectual Property (IP). The chipset will be available in engineering samples by the end of 2003 and for mass-production by the first half of 2004. It is expected that it will be the first chipset available for development of commercial TD-SCDMA handsets.
The GSM/TD-SCDMA chipset will be based on the chip supplier's EDGE and W-CDMA chipsets, ensuring a high combined production volume and a competitive price for the chipset. RTX Telecom is convinced that handsets based on the chipset will be able to compete with all other 3G technologies on key competitive factors such as cost, size, weight and standby/talk-time.
RTX Telecom has been working on development of TD-SCDMA IP, firmware, software and handset designs since the year 2000 and sees a strong interest from handset manufacturers in developing commercial GSM/TD-SCDMA handsets for the Chinese market. The new chipset is expected to accelerate the development of handsets and keep RTX Telecom in the forefront of TD-SCDMA.
The chipset will be able to handle all services supported by the TD-SCDMA networks in China . Handsets based on the chipset will be able to fall back on GSM/GPRS in geographical areas without TD-SCDMA coverage.
Based on this Agreement, RTX Telecom will be able to accept contracts from customers immediately for the development of competitive handset designs to be approved and mass-produced by mid 2004.
CEO Joergen Elbaek, RTX Telecom, comments: "Securing competitive chipsets for development of commercial TD-SCDMA terminals has been the most important milestone to pass in our plans to become a leading design company in the TD-SCDMA market".
"We hope this will help the Chinese authorities in their process of issuing TD-SCDMA licenses to operators. It is our belief that the chipset will be the first in the market based on proven technology, and we hope it will help secure a strong position for RTX Telecom in the future TD-SCDMA market." adds Mr Elbaek.
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Posted to the site on 14th May 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/8867.php