
ASIA
China : QUALCOMM Incorporated and China TechFaith Wireless Communication
Technology announced plans to found a new company to focus on the
development of application software for wireless devices.
The
new company, TechFaith Software China Limited (TechSoft), which will
be based in Beijing and Hangzhou, China, will be funded by QUALCOMM
and TechFaith. Subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions,
as well as the achievement of performance milestones, TechSoft will
receive a total investment of cash and in-kind contributions valued
at up to US$35 million from QUALCOMM and TechFaith.
This
investment follows QUALCOMM's announcement in June 2003 that it plans
to invest up to US$100 million in early- to mid-stage Chinese companies
engaged in the development and commercialization of CDMA-based products,
applications and services. TechFaith is one example of QUALCOMM's
investments since June 2003. TechFaith became QUALCOMM's first independent
handset design house partner in China, following an investment announced
in April 2004.
"This
collaboration reinforces the successful relationship we have built
with QUALCOMM," said Dong Defu, chairman and chief executive
officer of TechFaith. "TechFaith has always striven to shorten
manufacturers' time to market and to lower development costs, thereby
helping to drive the growth of wireless technology in China and around
the world. Our further collaboration with QUALCOMM to establish TechSoft
reinforces our international focus with the goal of providing continually
improved mobile handset solutions.""QUALCOMM works closely
with numerous industry leaders, and is firmly committed to investing
in the Chinese wireless industry as an area of tremendous growth and
opportunity to serve global wireless markets," saidDr. Sanjay
K. Jha, president of QUALCOMM CDMA Technologies. "Our common
goals with TechFaith have led the two companies to establish TechSoft,
demonstrating QUALCOMM's commitment to driving the advancement of
3G CDMA around the world."Initially focusing on 3G CDMA mobile
handsets, TechSoft will operate as an independent entity.
TechFaith (Nasdaq:
CNTF) is one of the largest handset application software and solution
providers based in China. With technology capabilities in developing
user interface software on GSM/GPRS, CDMA2000/EV-DO, WCDMA (UMTS)/HSDPA
and TD-SCDMA wireless communications technologies, TechFaith is able
to provide user interface software packages that fulfill the specifications
of major global operators, including those using the BREW solution
for offering downloadable content. TechFaith also is capable of providing
total solutions for handsets' upper-layer software. In addition, TechFaith
has the capability to develop Smart Phones and Smart Phone software
based on open operating systems including, Linux and Windows Mobile(R).
TechFaith is able to implement high-end Smart Phones integrating Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi and high-mega-pixel cameras, based on different communication
technologies according to the specific requirements of customers.
Based on the above technology and software capabilities, TechFaith
provides a full range of services in handset design to satisfy different
customers' needs.
TechFaith's services
include (i) handset design solutions; (ii) turnkey software and design
solutions on chipsets; (iii) application software; and (iv) wireless
module and wireless application products.