US : The CDMA Development Group (CDG) (www.cdg.org) announced today that at least two suppliers of ultra low-cost mobile devices are currently offering 3G CDMA2000(r) phones for less than $35 USD to selected carriers, and another five suppliers are offering CDMA2000 handsets for less than $40. In total, there are more than ten CDMA2000 handset models offered by seven suppliers for less than $40 to service providers within Africa, China, Central Asia, Latin America, South East Asia and India. In 2007, another 30 ultra low-cost CDMA2000 mobile handset designs are expected to become commercially available from more than fifteen suppliers.
With cost reduction initiatives such as the CDG's Global Handset Requirements for CDMA (GHRC), CDMA Certification Forum (CCF) and carrier-led device aggregation efforts, the CDMA industry has sustained and accelerated its lead in the delivery of 3G handsets that provide affordable access to telephony, Internet and popular value-added services and applications.
"Our goal is to continue to work with our CDG members to ensure devices are available for all market segments, while sustaining a healthy ecosystem and delivering a broad selection of voice and 3G data services that our CDMA2000 subscribers have come to expect," said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG.
CDMA2000 has proven to be the ideal solution for providing reliable and affordable wireless telecommunications to densely populated urban areas, as well as small and sparsely populated rural communities where the power of acquisition is limited. Today, more than 300 million people use CDMA2000 devices that enable crystal clear communications, quick access to the Internet, greater call completion rates and fewer dropped calls.
The CDG GHRC initiative develops a common set of CDMA2000 device requirements that are used by 3G service providers to generate economies of scale through the aggregation of device purchases. The CCF initiative standardizes and streamlines the product test and certification process so that CDMA2000 devices can be delivered quicker, with greater test coverage and more affordably. With the continued success of the GHRC, CCF and CDMA operator device aggregation efforts, the CDG and its member companies will be able to deliver a wider selection of ultra low-cost handsets with more value-added services than other competing standards. These collaborative efforts are enabling CDMA2000 operators to offer their customers a more competitive selection of products and services, while improving the economics of their business.
