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TI's New FlatLink(TM)3G Family Supports Next-Generation Video in Cell
Phones 24-Bit RGB Interface Enables True Color and Higher Resolution
DALLAS, March 2, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today introduced a new family of interface integrated circuits for true- color, high-resolution video content in handheld electronics. TI's new FlatLink(TM)3G serializers and deserializers provide a high-speed interface between liquid crystal displays (LCD) and mobile application processors such as TI's widely-adopted OMAP(TM) platform. The subLVDS (sub-low voltage differential signaling) serializers for mobile applications transmit true 24-bit red/green/blue (RGB) color data and support screen resolutions from QVGA through XGA, including VGA. They enable sharper, more realistic video in clamshell phones, multimedia players and digital cameras. (See http://www.ti.com/sc06026 .)
"Consumers today can download TV shows to their mobile phones, but existing interface technology limits the display quality," said David Mulcahy, TI's high-speed interface marketing manager. "TI's FlatLink(TM)3G family provides the bridge from processor to display panel that allows designers to take full advantage of newer, higher-resolution screens such as VGA and lets end users enjoy a palette of 16 million colors."
The high performance of the SN65LVDS301 transmitter supports current and future screen resolutions in mobile handset displays. Designers are able to select one, two or all three of the device's serial subLVDS channels according to the design needs, allowing them to develop with the same chipset for resolutions from QVGA through XGA, including VGA.
Supporting signals of up to 150-mV swing on the transmitter, the LVDS301 reduces 27 bits of data down to one, two or three channels, depending on the application. The low-swing serial signal helps reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI), which is a critical parameter in cell phones. With a noise floor around -105 dBm and spurs below -95 dBm, the EMI of the LVDS301 is extremely low. In addition, the serial transmitter requires fewer interconnects than typical parallel interfaces, allowing a much thinner flex cable to be used. This allows for a more reliable and robust mechanical connection across the clamshell hinge and makes swivel screen designs easier.
The LVDS301 offers several features that make the designer's job easier, such as bus swap, which allows more flexibility in board layout and assembly. In addition, the devices' parity check feature enables designers to catch errors while testing their design, which ensures accurate image display.
FlatLink3G devices are compatible with display modules and driver integrated circuits (IC) available from manufacturers such as Himax Technologies, Hitachi Displays, Renesas Technology LCDBU, Samsung SDI and Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices.
TI's FlatLink3G family joins the company's interface IC offering for telecommunications, consumer electronics, computing, industrial and automotive applications. TI supports more standards, offers more products and is chosen four times more often than any other interface supplier. Please see the Interface Selection Guide for more information at http://interface.ti.com .
Available Today
The SN65LVDS301 transmitter IC is sampling now in a 5-mm x 5-mm MicroStar Junior(TM) ball-grid array (BGA) package. It will be available in volume in 2Q2006, priced at $2.10 in 1,000-unit quantities. Support for designers will include IBIS models. TI will introduce the three-channel receiver, as well as one- and two-channel transmitters and receivers in the FlatLink3G family in 3Q06.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com
Please refer all reader inquiries to: Texas Instruments Incorporated Semiconductor Group, SC-06026 Literature Response Center 14950 FAA Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76155 1-800-477-8924 Trademarks
OMAP, FlatLink and MicroStar Junior are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All registered trademarks and other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
CONTACT: Janell Mirochna of Texas Instruments Incorporated, +1-214-480-6663, or j-mirochna1@ti.com ; or Heather Mills, +1-972-341-2512, or hmills@golinharris.com , for Texas Instruments Incorporated. Please do not publish these numbers or e-mail addresses.URL: http://www.prnewswire.com http://www.ti.com http://www.ti.com/sc06026 http://interface.ti.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: TexasINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR EDA ECP SEM CSE TLS MLMSUBJECT CODE: PDT
Get ready for blast off!
Via Licensing Announces Patent Licensing Terms for Interactive Television
Services Broadcast Free-to-Air Using the DVB-MHP Standard
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar 02, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Via Licensing Corporation is pleased to announce licensing terms for patents essential to the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) Multimedia Home Platform 1.0 standard (MHP 1.0) including terms for MHP services provided by non-subscription-based broadcasters (free-to-air broadcasters).
Holders of patents essential to the MHP standard that are participating in the formation of the joint-licensing program for MHP include Comcast, Open TV, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.), Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Thomson, and Time Warner Cable. Via Licensing is acting as the licensing administrator for the pool.
As the purpose of the pool is to promote wide adoption of MHP by the market, license fees for MHP services broadcasted free-to-air will not be charged by the MHP patent pool before January 1, 2009. At the end of this incentive period, the license fees outlined below for MHP services provided by free-to-air broadcasters will be assessed on a per-broadcaster basis, and will vary depending on the total number of households within the reach of the MHP services. This fee structure simplifies reporting activities for licensees while distinguishing between those free-to-air broadcasters that offer for-fee services and those that do not.
Licensing fees for MHP are:Fee Type License FeeConsumer devices $2.00 per deviceMHP services provided by $0.25 per subscriber (household)subscription-based service per yearprovider Option: One-time five-year license for $1.25MHP services provided by Total number of Licensing feefree-to-air broadcasters that households per broadcasterdo not offer any for-fee within reach of (originator ofservices MHP services MHP service) per (million) year 0 to 0.1 FREE 0.1 to 2.5 $25,000 2.5 to 5 $50,000 5 to 7.5 $75,000 Above 7.5 $100,000MHP services provided by Total number of Licensing feefree-to-air broadcasters that households per broadcasteralso offer for-fee services within reach of (originator of(including but not limited to MHP services MHP service) perpay-per-view services) (million) year 0 to 0.1 FREE 0.1 to 2.5 $50,000 2.5 to 5 $100,000 5 to 7.5 $150,000 Above 7.5 $200,000
These fees are also available at www.vialicensing.com/products/MHP/MHP_license_terms.html.
MHP essential patent holders participating in the joint-licensing program and Via Licensing are continuing work on the development of agreements with a view towards offering MHP licenses by the end of summer 2006.
Via Licensing continues to welcome the addition of third parties that hold patents essential to the practice of MHP 1.0. The marketplace benefits from the participation of as many patent owners as possible, through the inclusion of more intellectual property in the license and by the contribution of more parties in development of the terms of the licensing program. Parties holding patents they believe are necessary for the practice of the MHP 1.0 standard, and who are interested in participating in the development of the licensing program, may request information by sending an email to submissions@vialicensing.com.
About Via Licensing Corporation
Via Licensing Corporation develops and administers patent licensing programs, frequently referred to as patent pools, on behalf of innovative technology companies and for the convenience of licensees. Licensing programs developed by Via Licensing are generally based on mandated or de facto technology standards. Current licensing programs offered by Via Licensing include Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(TM), MPEG-2 AAC, MPEG-4 Audio, DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), TV-Anytime, and H.264/AVC. Licensing programs in development by Via Licensing include NFC (Near Field Communications), IEEE 802.16(TM), DVB-MHP, and OCAP(TM) (OpenCable(TM) Applications Platform). Via Licensing Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB). For more information about Via Licensing Corporation, please visit www.vialicensing.com.
Certain statements in this press release, including statements relating to the expected availability of a joint patent license for technologies essential to the MHP standard, the benefits of joint licensing programs, the greater adoption of standards through joint licensing programs, and the benefit and capabilities of MHP capable devices and services are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The following important factors, without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: risks associated with licensing technologies through patent pools; risks associated with licensing industry standards technologies; risks associated with developing proprietary technology in markets in which "open standards" are adopted; market acceptance of MHP capable devices and services; rapid changes in television technologies; risks associated with the development of markets for interactive television; and other risks detailed in Dolby Laboratories, Inc.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including its quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC for the quarter ended December 30, 2005. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
IEEE 802.11 and IEEE Std 802.16 are trademarks of the IEEE. OCAP and OpenCable are trademarks of CableLabs. S06/17122
SOURCE: Via Licensing Corporation
CONTACT: Via Licensing Corporation
Jeanne Alford, 415-645-5245
jeanne.a@vialicensing.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
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KEYWORD: United States North America CaliforniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Entertainment Licensing (Entertainment) TV and Radio Technology Hardware Software TelecommunicationsSUBJECT CODE: Product/Service
Nortel Powers go Mobile's New Broadband Wireless Services in Malta
MALTA, Mar 02, 2006 (PR Newswire Europe via COMTEX) -- First Operator to Provide a Broadband Wireless Network in Malta
go mobile, a wireless operator in Malta, is providing new broadband mobile services such as video, TV and gaming powered by EDGE technology from Nortel(x) (NYSE: NT , TSX: NT).
"By upgrading our nationwide GPRS network with Nortel's EDGE technology , go mobile becomes the first mobile operator in Malta to offer high bandwidth applications like streaming video on a mobile phone," explains Martin Zammit, senior executive engineering at go mobile. "The upgrade of our network is part of go mobile's high-speed broadband network evolution leading to the launch of 3G services next year. Our investment in EDGE technology ensures that go mobile delivers the fastest nationwide mobile network in Malta."
Nortel's EDGE technology allows go mobile subscribers to access content on their mobile phones at speeds up to four times faster than previous network capabilities.
"Nortel's technology is helping go mobile bring a new era of wireless broadband services to Malta," said Jean-Luc Jezouin, GSM and UMTS vice president for Nortel. "Our EDGE solution is designed to help operators increase network capacity, lower operational costs and offer the kind of innovative wireless broadband services that drive new sources of revenue."
The current go mobile EDGE deployment is the company's latest collaboration with Nortel. It was completed using installation and commissioning services from the Nortel Global Services portfolio. Nortel is also providing support and maintenance services for all network elements through 2011. Over the past five years, Nortel has provided GPRS and GSM technologies for go mobile's network.
Nortel EDGE technology helps GSM operators offer high-speed data services to end users, serve more mobile customers, and increase GSM network capacity to accommodate additional voice traffic. Nortel's EDGE offering includes a power amplifier solution that is designed to improve performance and allows an upgrade to EDGE to be accomplished without network redesign. The Nortel EDGE technology also provides a larger coverage area with the same quality of service compared to other industry products.
Nortel has designed, installed and launched more than 300 wireless networks in over 70 countries. Nortel was the industry's first supplier with wireless networks operating in all advanced radio technologies, and is the only end-to-end provider of all next generation wireless solutions, as well as edge and core network solutions for IP, ATM and optical transport.
Nortel's Global Services portfolio offers a full range of integrated professional services to provide end-to-end, multi-vendor network solutions that deliver significant business value. Nortel provides the necessary services to design, deploy, manage and maintain today's multi-vendor networks and to facilitate transition to next generation technologies.
About go mobile
go mobile is the trade name of MobIsle Communications Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Maltacom plc. The Company obtained its operating licence in September 2000 to provide mobile cellular services in Malta. The company started offering its services on 1 December 2000 and employs over 220 people. Our call centre facilities are set up to offer 24-hour customer service, seven days a week. go mobile has eight Customer Contact Centres strategically located in Malta and Gozo, an indirect sales network that covers both islands and a corporate sales force that caters to the needs of the business community. For more information, visit www.go.com.mt or call (+356)-21-246-200.
About Nortel
Nortel is a recognized leader in delivering communications capabilities that enhance the human experience, ignite and power global commerce, and secure and protect the world's most critical information. Our next- generation technologies, for both service providers and enterprises, span access and core networks, support multimedia and business-critical applications, and help eliminate today's barriers to efficiency, speed and performance by simplifying networks and connecting people with information. Nortel does business in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel.com. For the latest Nortel news, visit www.nortel.com/news.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the outcome of regulatory and criminal investigations and civil litigation actions related to Nortel's restatements and the impact any resulting legal judgments, settlements, penalties and expenses could have on Nortel's results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and any related potential dilution of Nortel's common shares; the findings of Nortel's independent review and implementation of recommended remedial measures; the outcome of the ongoing independent review with respect to revenues for specific identified transactions, which review will have a particular emphasis on the underlying conduct that led to the initial recognition of these revenues; the restatement or revisions of Nortel's previously announced or filed financial results and resulting negative publicity; the existence of material weaknesses in Nortel's internal control over financial reporting and the conclusion of Nortel's management and independent auditor that Nortel's internal control over financial reporting is ineffective, which could continue to impact Nortel's ability to report its results of operations and financial condition accurately and in a timely manner; the impact of Nortel's and NNL's failure to timely file their financial statements and related periodic reports, including Nortel's inability to access its shelf registration statement filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); the impact of management changes, including the termination for cause of Nortel's former CEO, CFO and Controller in April 2004; the sufficiency of Nortel's restructuring activities, including the work plan announced on August 19, 2004 as updated on September 30, 2004 and December 14, 2004, including the potential for higher actual costs to be incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; cautious or reduced spending by Nortel's customers; increased consolidation among Nortel's customers and the loss of customers in certain markets; fluctuations in Nortel's operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; fluctuations in Nortel's cash flow, level of outstanding debt and current debt ratings; Nortel's monitoring of the capital markets for opportunities to improve its capital structure and financial flexibility; Nortel's ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; the use of cash collateral to support Nortel's normal course business activities; the dependence on Nortel's subsidiaries for funding; the impact of Nortel's defined benefit plans and deferred tax assets on results of operations and Nortel's cash flow; the adverse resolution of class actions, litigation in the ordinary course of business, intellectual property disputes and similar matters; Nortel's dependence on new product development and its ability to predict market demand for particular products; Nortel's ability to integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; barriers to international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization and consolidation in the telecommunications industry; changes in regulation of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of Nortel's customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; general stock market volatility; negative developments associated with Nortel's supply contracts and contract manufacturing agreements, including as a result of using a sole supplier for a key component of certain optical networks solutions; the impact of Nortel's supply and outsourcing contracts that contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; any undetected product defects, errors or failures; the future success of Nortel's strategic alliances; and certain restrictions on how Nortel and its president and chief executive officer conduct business. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed by Nortel with the SEC. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
(x) Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel
Networks.
CONTACT: For further information: Sophie Biscaras, Nortel, +33-1-69-555-884, sophbis@nortel.com; Franco Aloisio, go mobile, (+356)-21-246-200, franco.aloisio@go.com.mt/
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire Europe
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SUBJECT CODE: CON Topic PDT Topic NET Topic HRD Topic STW Topic ITE Topic MLM Topic TLS Topic Europe
OT:10-K: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP
(EDGAR Online via COMTEX) -- ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Financial Section Roadmap
The financial section of our Annual Report includes management's discussion and analysis, our consolidated financial statements, notes to those financial statements and a five-year summary of financial information. We have prepared the following summary, or "roadmap," to assist in your review of the financial section. It is designed to give you an overview of our company and focus your review by directing you to some of the more important activities and events that occurred this year.
Lockheed Martin's Business
Lockheed Martin Corporation principally researches, designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, operates and sustains advanced technology systems, products and services. We mainly serve customers in domestic and international defense, civil agencies, and homeland security. Our sales to agencies of the U.S. Government represented 85% of our sales in 2005. Of the remaining 15% of sales, approximately 13% related to sales to international customers, with the remainder attributable to commercial customers. In 2004 and 2003, sales to agencies of the U.S. Government represented 80% and 78% of our total sales, respectively. Our main areas of focus are in defense, space, intelligence/homeland security, and government information technology.
We operate in five principal business segments: Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Space Systems, Integrated Systems & Solutions (IS&S), and Information & Technology Services (I&TS). As a lead systems integrator, our products and services range from electronics and information systems, including integrated net-centric solutions, to missiles, aircraft, spacecraft and launch services.
Financial Section Overview
The financial section includes the following:
Management's discussion and analysis, or MD&A (pages 42 through 74) - provides management's view about industry trends, risks and uncertainties relating to Lockheed Martin, accounting policies that we view as critical in light of our business, our results of operations, including discussions about the key performance drivers of each of our business segments, our financial position and cash flows, commitments and contingencies, important events or transactions that have occurred over the last three years, and forward-looking information, as appropriate.
Reports related to the financial statements and internal control over financial reporting (pages 76 through 79) - include the following:
A report from management, indicating our responsibility for financial reporting, the financial statements, and the system of internal control over financial reporting and an assessment of the effectiveness of those controls;
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A report from Ernst & Young LLP, including their opinion on the fair presentation of our financial statements based on their audits.
Financial statements (pages 80 through 83) - include our consolidated statements of earnings, cash flows and stockholders' equity for each of the last three years, and our balance sheet as of the end of the last two years. Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
Notes to the financial statements (pages 84 through 123) - provide insight into and are an integral part of our financial statements. The notes contain explanations of our significant accounting policies, details about certain of the captions on the financial statements, information about significant events or transactions that have occurred, discussions about legal proceedings, commitments and contingencies, and selected financial information relating to our business segments. The notes to the financial statements also are prepared in accordance with GAAP.
Highlights
The financial section of our Annual Report describes our ongoing operations, including discussions about particular lines of business or programs, our ability to finance our operating activities, and trends and uncertainties in our industry and how they might affect our future operations. We also discuss those items affecting our results that were not considered in senior management's assessment of the operating performance of our business segments. We separately disclose these items to assist in your evaluation of our overall operating performance and financial condition of the consolidated company. We would like to draw your attention to the following items disclosed in this financial section and where you will find them:
Topic Location(s)Critical accounting policies:Contract accounting/revenuerecognition Page 49 and page 87Postretirement benefit plans Page 52 and page 106Environmental matters Page 54, page 86 and page 115Discussion of business segments Page 58 and page 116Liquidity and cash flows Page 66 and page 82Capital structure and resources Page 68, page 81, page 83 and page 102Legal proceedings, commitmentsand contingencies Page 70 and page 113Stock-based compensation Page 72, page 89 and page 103Industry Considerations
Department of Defense Business
Customer requirements for defense and related advanced technology systems for 2006 and beyond will continue to be affected by the global war on terrorism through the continued need for military missions and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and the related fiscal consequences of war. The war on terrorism has focused greater attention on the security of our
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homeland and better communication and interoperability between law enforcement, civil government agencies, intelligence agencies and our military services. At the same time, our nation's overall defense posture continues to move toward a more joint-capabilities-based structure, which creates the ability for a more flexible response with greater force mobility, stronger space capabilities, enhanced missile defense and improved information systems capabilities and security.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently completed the Congressionally mandated 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The QDR continues and accelerates the DoD's prior commitment to a transformation of the military to focus more on the needs of its combatant commanders and to develop portfolios of joint capabilities rather than stove-piped programs. This movement towards horizontally-integrated structures is expected to become an organizing principle for the DoD in making investment decisions for future systems. We formed the Integrated Systems & Solutions business segment in 2003 to help us better focus our integrated solutions capabilities across the Corporation and enhance our ability to serve as a lead partner with the DoD. In 2005, we opened our Center for Innovation, a state-of-the-art facility for modeling and simulating our net-centric solutions for our customers.
The President's budget proposal for fiscal year 2007 and beyond presents a framework to reduce the federal budget deficit while prosecuting the global war on terrorism. The DoD budget is growing, but at lower levels than in the past few years, in order to continue the modernization and recapitalization that began earlier this decade. The budget for the Department of Homeland Security is increasing, while spending across other non-defense federal agencies is anticipated to decline through 2011. These changes in the President's budget plan reflect a commitment to a 50% reduction in the federal budget deficit by 2009, and the sentiment expressed by the Federal Reserve that sustained federal deficits could hamper economic growth.
The President's budget proposal includes $439 billion for the DoD, including $84 billion for procurement of systems and $73 billion for research and development. Transformation of the DoD enterprise and accompanying budget pressures also may create additional opportunities for supply chain logistics, business process management and outsourcing of service functions by the military services, expanding the scope of private sector contracting opportunities at the DoD.
The Fiscal Year 2007-2011 Future Years Defense Plan (FYDP) projects sustained growth in the DoD's top line budget, rising from $439 billion in 2007 to $502 billion in 2011. These estimates do not include any allowance to fund ongoing military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the global war on terrorism, which are expected to be addressed through annual supplemental appropriations as required. The DoD's continued emphasis on systems modernization is reflected in the proposed growth in the FYDP for Procurement, which is estimated to increase from $84 billion in 2007 to $118 billion in 2011. Research, Development, Test and Engineering (RDT&E) spending will remain roughly the same during this period, ranging from $73 billion in 2007 to $75 billion in 2009, declining then to $71 billion in 2011.
While subject to change in future specific budget submissions and annual appropriation by Congress, these estimates continue the Administration's long stated intent to modernize the Armed Forces while prosecuting the war on terrorism. The differing trends in Procurement and RDT&E budgets reflect the maturation of programs emerging from RDT&E funding into procurement, such as the F-35 program.
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In the past two years, Congress provided for supplemental appropriations to defray costs for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Approximately $50 billion has already been provided relative to 2006 and another $70 billion has been requested. These supplemental appropriations have enabled the DoD to proceed on critical modernization and acquisition programs, versus using amounts available for those programs to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan missions. While there is no assurance that additional supplemental appropriations will be approved by Congress, we do not believe that sustained operations in Iraq and Afghanistan will materially impact the procurement and research and development budget in the near term.
We believe that our broad mix of programs and capabilities positions us favorably to support the future needs of the various agencies of the U.S. Government in defense and information technology. Our major programs and capabilities include: missile defense; space intelligence; command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR); air mobility aircraft; and air-power projection/precision-strike capability. In terms of size and long-term potential impact, two of our more significant programs are the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Air Force approved the F-22 for full rate production, declared initial operational capability and rated the F-22 "mission capable" based on successful completion of operational testing. The DoD plans to continue production of the F-22 through 2011 to coincide with the anticipated production of the F-35 to avoid a gap in 5TH Generation fighter stealth and advanced avionics capabilities. While the ultimate number of F-35s to be produced will continue to be subject to debate, the QDR and budget indicate support for the program.
We are also represented in almost every aspect of land, sea, air and space-based missile defense, including the AEGIS Weapon System program, the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile program, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, and the Multiple Kill Vehicle program. In the areas of space intelligence and information superiority, we have leadership positions on programs such as the TSAT Mission Operations System (TMOS), Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) system, and the Space-Based Infrared System-High (SBIRS-H), and in classified programs and battle management command and control capabilities. In airlift, we have the C-130J program and are under contract to upgrade the C-5 strategic airlift aircraft. Many of the aforementioned programs require funding over several budget cycles. There is always an inherent risk that these and other large, highly visible programs which are subject to annual appropriation by Congress could become potential targets for future reductions or elimination of funding to pay for other programs.
We continually explore opportunities to expand into adjacent product lines utilizing our existing advanced technology products and services, and have been successful in doing so through such programs as the Littoral Combat Ship and Marine One U.S. Presidential Helicopter programs. We also are continuing to pursue opportunities to expand our sustainment and logistical support activities to enhance the longevity of the systems procured by our customers. In addition, we have focused our efforts on select acquisitions, cost savings and improving efficiency. Through these activities, we have been able to pass along savings to our customers, mainly the U.S. Government.
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Non-Department of Defense Business
We provide products and services to a number of government agencies other than the DoD, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Commerce, Health and Human Services and Energy, the U.S. Postal Service, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Library of Congress. Although our lines of business addressing civil government needs are not dependent on defense budgets, they share many of the same risks as our defense businesses, as well as other risks unique to the particular programs.
For example, although indemnification by the U.S. Government to cover potential claims or liabilities resulting from a failure of technologies developed and deployed may be available in some instances for our defense businesses, U.S. Government indemnification may not be available for homeland security purposes. While we maintain insurance for some business risks, it is not possible to obtain coverage to protect against all operational risks and liabilities. We do plan to seek, and in certain cases have obtained, limitation of such potential liabilities related to the sale and use of our homeland security products and services through qualification by the Department of Homeland Security under the "SAFETY Act" provisions of the Homeland Security Act of 2002. In the event we were to provide homeland security-related products and services to a customer without such qualification, we would not be afforded the benefit of the SAFETY Act's cap on tort liability or U.S. Government indemnification. In addition, our information technology products and services related to Homeland Security may raise potential liabilities associated with privacy issues for which neither indemnification nor SAFETY Act coverage is available. Other risks unique to civil government programs may include development of competing products, technological feasibility and product obsolescence.
We have continued to expand our capabilities in critical intelligence, knowledge management and E-Government solutions for our customers, including the Social Security Administration and the EPA, as well for the DoD. We also provide program management, business strategy and consulting, complex systems development and maintenance, complete life-cycle software support, information assurance and enterprise solutions. Consistent with the President's agenda, the expected growth in business process outsourcing has been enabled by rule changes for public/private competitions. Such a competition led to the selection in 2005 of Lockheed Martin to operate the Federal Aviation Administration's Automated Flight Services Station Network. In addition, recent trends continue to indicate an increase in demand by federal and civil government agencies for upgrading and investing in new information technology systems and solutions. As a result, we continue to focus our resources in support of infrastructure modernization that allows for interoperability and communication across agencies.
In addition, the increase in emphasis on homeland security may increase demand for our capabilities in areas such as air traffic management, ports and waterways security, biohazard detection systems for postal equipment, information systems security and other global security systems solutions.
We provide products and services to NASA, including the Space Shuttle program, mainly through our Space Systems and Information & Technology Services business segments. We also have a 50% equity interest in United Space Alliance, LLC which provides ground processing and
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other operational services to the Space Shuttle program. We expect to compete for NASA programs related to the next generation manned space exploration program.
Non-U.S. defense budgets have generally been flat or declining over the past decade. As a result, consolidation has been occurring in the European aerospace industry, resulting in fewer but larger and more capable competitors.
Space Business
Sales of commercial launch vehicles and satellites continues to be very competitive due mainly to low demand for new satellites as a result of excess capacity in the telecommunications industry. The reduction in demand has resulted in pricing pressures for both launch vehicles and satellites. Despite this environment, we did receive new orders for commercial satellites and launch vehicles in both 2004 and 2005. For a discussion of the results of operations of our Space Systems segment, see the "Discussion of Business Segments" section.
The above factors have impacted orders for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV or Atlas V), our next generation launch vehicle program in which we have made significant investments over the past few years. The Atlas V is available for both commercial and U.S. Government use. This program has required investment of funds for research and development, start-up and other nonrecurring costs, and launch facilities. Some of these expenditures have been funded under an agreement with the U.S. Government.
We have received a total of 19 launch assignments from the U.S. Government, nine of which are under contract and in backlog. The 19 launch assignments include seven that were reassigned in 2003 from the original EELV competition (referred to as "Buy 1") as a result of our competitor's violation of the Procurement Integrity Act. Two of the seven launch reassignments were for West Coast launches and, since then, the Air Force has assigned us four additional West Coast launches. To prepare for these, we upgraded our West Coast launch facilities, which required further investment in the EELV program (see Note 5 to the financial statements). We expect to recover the investment through the pricing of the West Coast launches.
The U.S. Government has been awarding launch missions incrementally as it continues to develop its acquisition strategy for future national missions. The U.S. Government plans to maintain assured access to space to the maximum extent possible and has recognized the need to fund additional EELV infrastructure costs created by the weaker-than-originally-anticipated commercial demand for launch services. We had three Atlas launches in 2005, including our fifth Atlas V commercial launch. As of year-end 2005, the Atlas family of launch vehicles had a record of 77 consecutive successful launches. Commercial orders and prices for the Atlas V launch vehicle to date have been lower than we originally expected during the development phase of the vehicle.
In 2005, we entered into an agreement with Boeing to create a joint venture that would combine the production, engineering, test and launch operations associated with U.S. Government launches of our Atlas launch vehicles and Boeing's Delta launch vehicles. The joint venture, named United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA), is structured as a 50-50 joint venture and would be accounted for as an equity investment. Under the terms of the joint venture, Atlas and Delta expendable launch vehicles would continue to be available as alternatives on
Table of Contents
individual launch missions. The agreement also stipulates that, upon closing of the transaction, Lockheed Martin and Boeing will dismiss all claims against each other in the pending civil litigation related to a previous competition for launches under the Air Force EELV program (see Note 15 for a discussion of that litigation).
The closing of the ULA transaction is subject to conditions to closing, including government and regulatory approvals and agreements in the United States and internationally. On August 9, 2005, the European Commission determined that ULA was compatible with European Union merger control regulation. On October 24, 2005, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requested additional information from Lockheed Martin and Boeing related to ULA in response to the pre-merger notice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR) submitted by the parties. The FTC's "second request" extends the period that the FTC is permitted to review the transaction under the HSR Act. We currently plan to close the ULA transaction as soon as practicable following satisfaction of all the closing conditions. We do not expect that its formation will have a significant impact on our results of operations or financial position for 2006. If the conditions to closing are not satisfied and the ULA transaction is not consummated by March 31, 2006, either Boeing or Lockheed Martin may terminate the joint venture agreement.
Lockheed-Khrunichev-Energia International, Inc. (LKEI), a joint venture we have with two Russian government-owned space firms, has exclusive rights to market launches of commercial, non-Russian-origin space payloads on the Proton family of rockets from a launch site in Kazakhstan. One of the joint venture partners, Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Khrunichev), is the manufacturer of the Proton launch vehicle and provider of the related launch services in Russia. Commercial Atlas and Proton launch services are marketed around the world through International Launch Services (ILS), a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and LKEI. We consolidate the results of operations of LKEI and ILS into our financial statements based on our controlling financial interest. We received four new awards for launches on Proton vehicles in 2005. Contracts for launch services usually require substantial advances from the customer prior to launch. At the end of 2005, $315 million of advances received from customers for Proton launch services not yet provided was included as a liability in our balance sheet in customer advances and amounts in excess of costs incurred.
A sizeable percentage of the advances we receive from customers for Proton launch services are sent to Khrunichev. If a contracted launch service is not provided, a sizeable percentage of the related advance would have to be refunded to our customer. At year-end 2005, payments to Khrunichev included in inventories for launches under contract totaled $190 million. Our ability to recover these advances may be affected by Khrunichev's ability to provide the launch services, as well as economic conditions and the political environment in Russia. Through the end of 2005, launch services through LKEI and ILS have been provided according to contract terms.
The Corporation has entered into an agreement with RD AMROSS, a joint venture of the Pratt & Whitney division of United Technologies Corporation and the Russian firm NPO Energomash, for the purchase, subject to certain conditions, of RD-180 booster engines for use in the Corporation's Atlas launch vehicles. Terms of the agreement call for payments to be made to RD AMROSS upon the achievement of certain milestones in the manufacturing process. Payments of $70 million made under this agreement for engines not yet delivered were included in the Corporation's inventories at December 31, 2005.
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As discussed above, commercial satellite sales have continued to experience pricing pressures due to excess capacity. However, in the past two years, we have received six commercial satellite orders and are in active discussions for additional satellite orders. In addition to commercial activity, we also received new orders for government satellites in 2004 and 2005, including those under the MUOS program and certain classified activities.
Other Business Considerations
As a government contractor, we are subject to U.S. Government oversight. The government may ask about and investigate our business practices and audit our compliance with applicable rules and regulations. Depending on the results of those audits and investigations, the government could make claims against us. Under government procurement regulations and practices, an indictment of a government contractor could result in that contractor being fined and suspended from being able to bid on, or be awarded, new government contracts for a period of time. A conviction could result in debarment for a specific period of time. Similar government oversight exists in most other countries where we conduct business. Although we cannot predict the outcome of these types of investigations and inquiries with certainty, based on current facts, we do not believe that any of the claims, audits or investigations pending against us are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business or our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
We are exposed to risks associated with U.S. Government contracting, including technological uncertainties, dependence on fewer manufacturing suppliers and obsolescence, as well as Congressional appropriation and allotment of funds each year. Many of our programs involve the development and application of state-of-the-art technologies aimed at achieving challenging goals. As a result, setbacks, delays, cost growth and product failures can occur.
We have entered into various joint venture, teaming and other business arrangements to help support our portfolio of products and services in many of our lines of business. Some of these business arrangements include foreign partners. The conduct of international business introduces other risks into our operations, including changing economic conditions, fluctuations in relative currency values, regulation by foreign countries and the potential for unanticipated cost increases resulting from the possible deterioration of political relations.
The nature of our international business also makes us subject to the export control regulations of the U.S. Department of State and the Department of Commerce. If these regulations are violated, it could result in monetary penalties and denial of export privileges. We are currently unaware of any violations of export control regulations which are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on our business or our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Critical Accounting Policies
. . .
(c) 1995-2006 Cybernet Data Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Received by Edgar Online Feb 28, 2006
CIK Code: 0000936468Accession Number: 0001193125-06-040986
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If we eat that almost 15,000 shares sitting on 27....watch out!
big buyer showing up.
=WSJ: Nokia Names Alastair Curtis Head Of Design >NOK
By Cassell Bryan-Low Of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Nokia Corp. (NOK), the world's largest cellphone handset maker, is turning to the designer in charge of its low- to mid-cost cellphones to oversee its entire range of phones after having missed some key style trends in recent years.
The move also comes as competition heats up in low-cost handsets, with emerging markets expected to provide much of Nokia's future growth.
The Espoo, Finland-based company said Alastair Curtis, 37 years, would take over as head of design at the beginning of April. Curtis, who is British and based in the U.K., has held several design positions at Nokia since joining the company in 1993, most recently overseeing design at the Mobile Phones division which produces entry-level and mid-range phones. The unit also makes various fashion-targeted phones, but isn't responsible for the multimedia and email-oriented devices.
(This story and related background material will be available on The Wall Street Journal Web site, WSJ.com.)
Curtis replaces Frank Nuovo, 45, who has headed the company's design team for a decade and is one of the best-known designers in the industry. He will continue at Nokia as a principal designer for Vertu, Nokia's luxury range that includes phones that can cost up to about $40,000. He will also continue to work with the company in a consulting role.
Nokia also is centralizing its design team in order to speed up the process of getting new designs to market. Nokia spokeswoman Arja Suominen said neither Curtis nor Nuovo were immediately available for comment.
Nuovo and Nokia were among the first in the industry to grasp the importance of design in the 1990s. During that decade, he designed phones that helped make Nokia the world's largest cellphone company by sales. But in recent years the company has missed some key style trends, such as tapping into the craze for clamshell phones in 2003 and 2004.
Analysts say Nokia's product portfolio has improved over the past year, helping the company to grow its global market share to 35% in the fourth quarter, according to research firm Gartner Inc. That is up from 33% from the year-earlier period and nearly twice the share of its closest rival, Motorola Inc. (MOT), of Schaumburg, Ill.
But industry experts point to gaps that still exist in the company's portfolio, such as an ultra-thin phone. Motorola recently blazed the trail in this category of products with its slim RAZR phone, a concept which now has been imitated by several other handset makers. Nokia says it plans to introduce slim products this year, too.
Design is becoming an increasing challenge for cellphone makers who are having to please a widening array of consumer tastes, from phones that can play music or send email, to ones that look really cool or are just plain easy to use. Low-cost phones also are important with much of the cellphone industry's growth over the next few years expected to come from poorer nations. While Nokia continues to have a significant lead in the low-cost handset market, Motorola has been gaining traction and recently announced it will produce phones that cost as little as $30 or less. Nokia's cheapest phone costs about $50 to $60.
-By Cassell Bryan-Low, The Wall Street Journal; 33-1-4017-1829
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-02-06 1051ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
wow....27.00 soon.
nice little pick up on volume.
Via Licensing Announces Patent Licensing Terms for Interactive Television
Services Broadcast Free-to-Air Using the DVB-MHP Standard
SAN FRANCISCO, Mar 02, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Via Licensing Corporation is pleased to announce licensing terms for patents essential to the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) Multimedia Home Platform 1.0 standard (MHP 1.0) including terms for MHP services provided by non-subscription-based broadcasters (free-to-air broadcasters).
Holders of patents essential to the MHP standard that are participating in the formation of the joint-licensing program for MHP include Comcast, Open TV, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.), Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Thomson, and Time Warner Cable. Via Licensing is acting as the licensing administrator for the pool.
As the purpose of the pool is to promote wide adoption of MHP by the market, license fees for MHP services broadcasted free-to-air will not be charged by the MHP patent pool before January 1, 2009. At the end of this incentive period, the license fees outlined below for MHP services provided by free-to-air broadcasters will be assessed on a per-broadcaster basis, and will vary depending on the total number of households within the reach of the MHP services. This fee structure simplifies reporting activities for licensees while distinguishing between those free-to-air broadcasters that offer for-fee services and those that do not.
Licensing fees for MHP are:Fee Type License FeeConsumer devices $2.00 per deviceMHP services provided by $0.25 per subscriber (household)subscription-based service per yearprovider Option: One-time five-year license for $1.25MHP services provided by Total number of Licensing feefree-to-air broadcasters that households per broadcasterdo not offer any for-fee within reach of (originator ofservices MHP services MHP service) per (million) year 0 to 0.1 FREE 0.1 to 2.5 $25,000 2.5 to 5 $50,000 5 to 7.5 $75,000 Above 7.5 $100,000MHP services provided by Total number of Licensing feefree-to-air broadcasters that households per broadcasteralso offer for-fee services within reach of (originator of(including but not limited to MHP services MHP service) perpay-per-view services) (million) year 0 to 0.1 FREE 0.1 to 2.5 $50,000 2.5 to 5 $100,000 5 to 7.5 $150,000 Above 7.5 $200,000
These fees are also available at www.vialicensing.com/products/MHP/MHP_license_terms.html.
MHP essential patent holders participating in the joint-licensing program and Via Licensing are continuing work on the development of agreements with a view towards offering MHP licenses by the end of summer 2006.
Via Licensing continues to welcome the addition of third parties that hold patents essential to the practice of MHP 1.0. The marketplace benefits from the participation of as many patent owners as possible, through the inclusion of more intellectual property in the license and by the contribution of more parties in development of the terms of the licensing program. Parties holding patents they believe are necessary for the practice of the MHP 1.0 standard, and who are interested in participating in the development of the licensing program, may request information by sending an email to submissions@vialicensing.com.
About Via Licensing Corporation
Via Licensing Corporation develops and administers patent licensing programs, frequently referred to as patent pools, on behalf of innovative technology companies and for the convenience of licensees. Licensing programs developed by Via Licensing are generally based on mandated or de facto technology standards. Current licensing programs offered by Via Licensing include Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11(TM), MPEG-2 AAC, MPEG-4 Audio, DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale), TV-Anytime, and H.264/AVC. Licensing programs in development by Via Licensing include NFC (Near Field Communications), IEEE 802.16(TM), DVB-MHP, and OCAP(TM) (OpenCable(TM) Applications Platform). Via Licensing Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB). For more information about Via Licensing Corporation, please visit www.vialicensing.com.
Certain statements in this press release, including statements relating to the expected availability of a joint patent license for technologies essential to the MHP standard, the benefits of joint licensing programs, the greater adoption of standards through joint licensing programs, and the benefit and capabilities of MHP capable devices and services are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The following important factors, without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: risks associated with licensing technologies through patent pools; risks associated with licensing industry standards technologies; risks associated with developing proprietary technology in markets in which "open standards" are adopted; market acceptance of MHP capable devices and services; rapid changes in television technologies; risks associated with the development of markets for interactive television; and other risks detailed in Dolby Laboratories, Inc.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including its quarterly report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC for the quarter ended December 30, 2005. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
IEEE 802.11 and IEEE Std 802.16 are trademarks of the IEEE. OCAP and OpenCable are trademarks of CableLabs. S06/17122
SOURCE: Via Licensing Corporation
CONTACT: Via Licensing Corporation
Jeanne Alford, 415-645-5245
jeanne.a@vialicensing.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
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KEYWORD: United States North America CaliforniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Entertainment Licensing (Entertainment) TV and Radio Technology Hardware Software TelecommunicationsSUBJECT CODE: Product/Service
Philips, T3G and Samsung Power China's First 3G Video Phone; Philips, T3G
and Samsung Ready to Deliver Breakthrough Solution to Chinese Market; TD-SCDMA
Video Phone Offers High Data Rates at Low Power for China 3G Standard
EINDHOVEN, Netherlands, Mar 01, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG) (AEX:PHI), Samsung and T3G have announced today that they are bringing next-generation 3G technology to the Chinese market. The Samsung video phone, announced in August 2005 is available today and has already been experienced by Huang Ju, China's Vice Premier. The Samsung video phone is the world's first handset to utilise China's newly developed TD-SCDMA network, delivering advanced 3G services including video calling and music downloads to a potential market of over 1.3 billion people.
The state-of-the-art dual-mode Samsung video phone, which combines Philips industry-proven EDGE Nexperia(TM) cellular system solution 6120 with a TD-SCDMA processor developed by Philips and T3G and a protocol stack developed by T3G, will be available on China's 3G network as soon as operator licenses are granted, most likely in Q2 2006. With the Chinese market in ascendancy -- mobile subscription is increasing at a rate of 50 million new users per annum. The new Philips/T3G reference design places Samsung in an ideal position to satisfy the vast demand for compelling mobile services.
"Closely collaborating with Philips and T3G, Samsung, co-founder and active partner of the T3G joint-venture, is now perfectly poised to enter the market with advanced, easy to use handsets, spearheaded by the new Samsung video phone," said Mr. Wang Tong, President of China Samsung Telecom R&D Centre. "Furthermore, the Chinese market's hunger for portable media is ideally suited to the superior data rates and improved battery life enabled by the new reference design."
"T3G has been a market leader in the development of TD-SCDMA terminal technologies since its infancy, in addition to the development of 384kbps data transmission on TD-SCDMA," said Mr. Johan Pross, CEO of T3G. "Space and power are at a premium in modern mobile devices and by combining the Philips Nexperia system solution 6120 for EDGE with our co-designed TD-SCDMA processor, we have a powerful and efficient platform that enables optimal 3G performance."
"The adoption of 3G in China is forecasted to be rapid, with consumers demanding more advanced 3G services and operators/handset manufacturers looking for innovative solutions to address evolving consumer expectations," said Gert Jan Kaat, SVP & GM Mobile & Personal Business Unit, Philips Semiconductors. "Combining Philips market-leading Nexperia cellular system solution for EDGE with the TD-SCDMA solution from T3G, we have produced a reference design capable of delivering advanced 3G phones designed around the consumer -- enabling partners like Samsung to develop its presence in the Chinese market."
About Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2005 parent company sales of US$56.7 billion and net income of US$7.5 billion. Employing approximately 128,000 people in over 90 offices in 51 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Appliance Business, Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication Network Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones, and TFT-LCDs.
For more information, please visit www.samsung.com
About T3G
A market leading TD-SCDMA terminal total solution provider, T3G Technology specializes in providing TD-SCDMA terminal manufacturers and design houses with a complete solution that includes handset chipset, software protocol, system reference design and customized technical support. A joint venture that combines Datang's TD-SCDMA expertise, Philips' cutting-edge semiconductor design and process capability and Samsung and Motorola's leadership in mobile handset creation, T3G will boost the cost effective introduction of 3G TD-SCDMA dual mode commercial handsets in China. More information about T3G, its products and services are available on the company website at www.t3gt.com.
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 30.4 billion in 2005. With activities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyle and technology and 159,200 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
Nexperia is a trademark of Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
SOURCE: Royal Philips Electronics
CONTACT: Royal Philips Electronics
Marijke Sas, +31 40 272 2091 (Europe)
marijke.sas@philips.com
Rebecca Samuel, 408-474-8769 (USA)
rebecca.samuel@philips.com
Terry Chiang, +886-2-3789-2821 (Asia Pacific)
terry.chiang@philips.com
Press Room: www.semiconductors.philips.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
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KEYWORD: China Netherlands Europe Asia PacificINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Consumer Electronics Hardware Telecommunications Other TechnologySUBJECT CODE: Product/Service
InterDigital Announces Date for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2005
Financial Results Release and Conference Call
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Feb 28, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- InterDigital Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:IDCC) announced today that it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2005 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, March 9, 2006.
InterDigital will host a conference call on Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2005 performance and other company matters. For access to the conference call within the U.S. please dial (877) 505-0448 by 9:50 a.m. EST on March 9 and ask the operator for the InterDigital Financial Call. Participants calling from outside the U.S. should dial (706) 679-3165.
InterDigital also will provide live access to the call on its web site at: www.interdigital.com. The company encourages participants to take advantage of the Internet option if possible. For the live Internet broadcast, click on link to the Live Web Cast on the homepage.
In addition, a replay of the call will be available from 1:00 p.m. EST March 9 through 11:00 p.m. EST March 13. To access the recorded replay, dial (800) 642-1687 and use the confirmation code 5999128. A replay of the conference call will be available for 30 days on InterDigital's web site in the Investing section.
Due to the listen-only nature of the web cast, questions or comments should be directed before the call to InterDigital's Investor Relations department via e-mail at: investor.relations@interdigital.com. The company will address e-mail questions on the call as time permits.
About InterDigital
InterDigital Communications Corporation designs, develops and provides advanced wireless technologies and products that drive voice and data communications. InterDigital is a leading contributor to the global wireless standards and holds a strong portfolio of patented technologies which it licenses to manufacturers of 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 802 products worldwide. Additionally, the company offers baseband product solutions and protocol software for 3G multimode terminals and converged devices, delivering time-to-market, performance and cost benefits. The company's financial strength and solid revenue base contribute to the continued investment in innovation and development that will shape the next generation of wireless technology. For more information, please visit InterDigital's web site: www.interdigital.com. InterDigital(R) is a registered trademark of InterDigital Communications Corporation.
SOURCE: InterDigital Communications Corporation
CONTACT: InterDigital Communications Corporation
Media Contact:
Jack Indekeu, 610-878-7800
jack.indekeu@interdigital.com
or
Investor Contact:
Janet Point, 610-878-7800
janet.point@interdigital.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
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KEYWORD: United States North America PennsylvaniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Consumer Electronics Hardware Internet Software Telecommunications Other Technology Professional Services Banking FinanceSUBJECT CODE: Earnings Conference Call Webcast
PRESS RELEASE: InterDigital Announces Date for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2005 Financial Results Release and Conference Call
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 28, 2006--
InterDigital Communications Corporation (Nasdaq:IDCC) announced today that it will release its fourth quarter and full year 2005 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, March 9, 2006.
InterDigital will host a conference call on Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2005 performance and other company matters. For access to the conference call within the U.S. please dial (877) 505-0448 by 9:50 a.m. EST on March 9 and ask the operator for the InterDigital Financial Call. Participants calling from outside the U.S. should dial (706) 679-3165.
InterDigital also will provide live access to the call on its web site at: www.interdigital.com. The company encourages participants to take advantage of the Internet option if possible. For the live Internet broadcast, click on link to the Live Web Cast on the homepage.
In addition, a replay of the call will be available from 1:00 p.m. EST March 9 through 11:00 p.m. EST March 13. To access the recorded replay, dial (800) 642-1687 and use the confirmation code 5999128. A replay of the conference call will be available for 30 days on InterDigital's web site in the Investing section.
Due to the listen-only nature of the web cast, questions or comments should be directed before the call to InterDigital's Investor Relations department via e-mail at: investor.relations@interdigital.com. The company will address e-mail questions on the call as time permits.
About InterDigital
InterDigital Communications Corporation designs, develops and provides advanced wireless technologies and products that drive voice and data communications. InterDigital is a leading contributor to the global wireless standards and holds a strong portfolio of patented technologies which it licenses to manufacturers of 2G, 2.5G, 3G and 802 products worldwide. Additionally, the company offers baseband product solutions and protocol software for 3G multimode terminals and converged devices, delivering time-to-market, performance and cost benefits. The company's financial strength and solid revenue base contribute to the continued investment in innovation and development that will shape the next generation of wireless technology. For more information, please visit InterDigital's web site: www.interdigital.com. InterDigital(R) is a registered trademark of InterDigital Communications Corporation.
CONTACT: InterDigital Communications Corporation Media Contact: Jack Indekeu, 610-878-7800 jack.indekeu@interdigital.com or Investor Contact: Janet Point, 610-878-7800 janet.point@interdigital.com SOURCE: InterDigital Communications Corporation Copyright Business Wire 2006
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-28-06 1431ET
=DJ Research In Motion Calls NTP's Statement "Misleading"
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) responded to a statement Monday by NTP Inc., which said it has offered RIM a settlement that protects RIM's business partners including wireless carriers.
"Don't be fooled by NTP's aggressive stance," said RIM vice-president, corporate marketing, Mark Guibert. "They are simply trying to convince the court and the public that they're being reasonable.... Ironically, their statement is yet again misleading. As NTP well knows, the scope of a license depends on the definitions and NTP has merely quoted part of a provision with none of the underlying definitions. As with much of NTP's statements, it is only part of the story and is inherently misleading."
Mark Heinzl, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2014
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-27-06 1350ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
DJ NTP Offered RIM A License That'Fully Protects Everyone'
NTP Inc. said Monday that Blackberry-maker Research in Motion Ltd. (RIMM) mischaracterized the proposed license agreement between the two companies and that it offered RIM a license "that protects everyone." The patent-holding company added that it is "open to hearing any specific issues RIM has with its proposed agreements."
Friday, a judge at the hearing on the companies' patent dispute didn't issue an immediate injunction on sales and services of BlackBerry devices in the U.S. The judge is expected to rule on what financial penalties RIM should pay NTP for patent infringement, a verdict reached by a Virginia jury in 2002.
NTP won several patent-infringement claims for wireless e-mail processes in court against RIM.
RIM shares were recently down $1.65, or 2.2%, at $72.40.
-Josee Rose; 201-938-5400; asknewswires@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-27-06 1121ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
DJ CORRECT: NTP Open To Hearing Issues RIM Has With Proposals
NTP said it remains open to hearing any specific issues Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) has with its proposed agreements.
(A headline at 10:54 a.m. EST misstated NTP's position.)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-27-06 1114ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Revised: Texas Instruments Applies Communications Infrastructure
Leadership to WiMAX Market with New Offerings TI WiMAX Solutions Enable
Infrastructure OEMs to Quickly Deliver Products to Market
DALLAS, Feb 27, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Extending its leadership in wireless infrastructure applications, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a new portfolio of digital and analog products for WiMAX applications. By addressing the complete signal chain, TI enables OEMs to leverage their existing 3G designs to quickly develop WiMAX products. The availability of field-ready infrastructure products will spur deployment of WiMAX-enabled services into the market. These products will also support other applications built around OFDM technology. [For more information, please go to http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi ]
Earlier this year, the WiMAX Forum announced the first WiMAX Forum Certified(TM) products, based on the IEEE 802.16-2004 and ETSI HiperMAN standards. Forward Concepts estimates that by 2009, sales of fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment will reach $2 billion.
End-to-End Infrastructure Solution Speeds Product Development TI's new WiMAX portfolio includes: * Support for fixed and mobile wireless infrastructure applications, as well as multiple frequency bands. As a result, OEMs can develop a single infrastructure platform that can be quickly and cost- effectively configured for each operator's or country's requirements. * The TMS320TCI6482 DSP at 1 GHz plus a WiMAX physical layer software library optimized for the DSP platform. * A portfolio of radio frequency (RF) products as well as data converters, up/down converters and amplifiers. * Reference designs, AMC and ATCA cards from several third parties. [See http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi for additional press releases.] * Support for MIMO Smart Antenna technology via ArrayComm. ArrayComm and TI have recently collaborated on a reference design for WiMAX infrastructure applications.
"TI has played a key role in growing the wireless infrastructure market," said Kent Novak, worldwide manager of TI's high speed communications business unit. "Our WiMAX portfolio further demonstrates our leadership and these new products allow OEMs to leverage their own intellectual property while reducing the cost, risk and lead time for entering the WiMAX market."
"Manufacturers anticipated that the move to 3G would lead to a single standard for wireless infrastructure technology," said Jagdish Rebello of iSuppli Corporation. "However, multiple standards continue to flourish today, leaving wireless operators and OEMs with a wide variety of air interface technologies to support. OEMs look for ways to extend their technology investments and establish leadership positions in emerging markets, like WiMAX. TI is well positioned to provide customers with a portfolio of products, enabling them to re-use their common platforms in emerging and future markets."
TI's WiMAX portfolio is also attractive for infrastructure vendors, who now can leverage components used across a wide variety of technologies. This applicability for multiple markets translates into high volumes, which drive down their cost and helps create a low-cost alternative for emerging vendors to enter the burgeoning WiMAX sector.
TI demonstrated its ongoing commitment and support to the WiMAX industry by joining the WiMAX Forum earlier this year. As a WiMAX Forum member, TI will collaborate with other companies to understand the needs and concerns of the growing WiMAX industry while helping to drive standards.
TI announced its first WiMAX products last year and plans several additions to its portfolio of WiMAX products throughout this year.
Trademarks
Code Composer Studio is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Texas Instruments Newest Communications Infrastructure Technology Prepares Service Providers for WiMAX and Beyond DSP-based Solution Enables Manufacturers to Roll out Advanced WiMAX Infrastructure Technologies More Quickly
DALLAS (Feb. 27, 2006) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced its newest 1 GHz DSP-based 802.16e base station solution, enabling its customers to develop customized, high-performance WiMAX systems. This new product supports the mobile WiMAX standard and addresses the growing market need for this emerging technology. TI's newest WiMAX infrastructure solution incorporates the TMS320TCI6482 high-performance DSP, optimized baseband software and development tools. For more information, please visit http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi .
"The quick ratification of the 802.16e mobile WiMAX standard late last year, indicates a strong interest by the technology's supporters to bring products to market at the same time as other advanced wireless standards, like 3G EV-DO and HSDPA," said Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat senior analyst. "Additionally, the WiMAX chipset market is anticipated to reach $950 million by 2009, offering companies like TI a unique opportunity to capitalize on this quickly-growing industry, while developing technologies similar to those that have given them strong market leadership."
Reusing Technology to Meet Future Demands
TI's flexible system solution supports both fixed and mobile applications across multiple frequency bands. This flexibility enables equipment manufacturers to create cost-effective system configurations that can be used for multiple WiMAX applications including cellular backhaul, rural deployments, portable mobility and last mile connectivity.
At the heart of TI's solution for WiMAX is the TMS320TCI6482 DSP, designed for wireless infrastructure applications. TI's 1 GHz DSP improves cost and power per channel by efficiently processing WiMAX physical layer, IFFT/FFT and MIMO/beamforming algorithms. The programmable DSP-based solution can be easily software upgraded in the field to support advanced features, thereby protecting manufacturers' and service providers' initial technology investment.
Complementing the TCI6482 DSP is a commercial quality software library implementing key physical layer functions of the WiMAX standard. The highly optimized and tested software reduces product development time, while allowing manufacturers to customize the software and add their own intellectual property. TI's phased software development approach enables customers to get to market quickly with a working system, while allowing them to use additional software components to add capabilities and services over time. This level of flexibility is very important to the manufacturers who need to differentiate their product offering from their competitors.
Creating a WiMAX solution using TI's DSP and software libraries is made easier through the use of TI's leading software development environment and hardware platforms. TI's new Platinum Edition of its Code Composer Studio(TM) Integrated Development Environment is available today, providing new debug and code profiling features for the TCI6482 DSP. Further, hardware platforms are available from TI and its third party partners in a variety of form factors, including ATCA Mezzanine Cards (AMC) housing one or multiple TCI6482 DSPs. The combination of high performance, programmable DSPs, application libraries and the right development tools allow equipment manufacturers to get started easily and get to market quickly with highly flexible, differentiated WiMAX basestation solutions.
"Our customers are asking for a flexible and cost-effective means of supporting WiMAX networks," said Sandeep Kumar, TI's wireless infrastructure strategic marketing manager. "TI's solutions make it easier for them to upgrade their systems to support advanced features as WiMAX evolves. Additionally, because our solutions are based on programmable DSPs, our customers can reuse their hardware and software to support other emerging OFDM standards."
Broad Portfolio of Products for Advanced WiMAX Base Stations
TI's new DSP-based solution for WiMAX joins an already robust set of products available from TI to address this emerging standard. Last year, TI announced its broad line of radio frequency chipsets for 2.5GHz, 3.5GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies. TI has also announced today a new member of its radio frequency (RF) family, the TRF3703, an ultra-low-noise 4 GHz quadrature modulator. With a seamless interface to TI's high-speed DAC5687 digital-to- analog converter (DAC), the new quadrature modulator provides a direct means of converting baseband or intermediate frequency (IF) signals to RF transmission levels.
Availability
TI's new WiMAX base station solution includes the TCI6482 DSP and highly optimized symbol rate and chip rate software libraries. The solution is currently available, with full production expected later this year.
For more information on this product and TI's complete line of communications infrastructure solutions, please visit http://www.ti.com/wi .
Texas Instruments Introduces Ultra-Low-Noise 4 GHz Quadrature Modulator for
2.5/3G, WiMAX Infrastructure Transmitters New TRF3703 IQ Modulator Supports Direct Baseband-to-RF Conversion, Saving Design Cost and Complexity
DALLAS (February 27, 2006) - Advancing its leadership as a provider of enabling technology for the wireless industry, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a high-performance, low-noise in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator supporting radio frequency (RF) transmissions up to 4 GHz in wireless infrastructure equipment. The new TRF3703 modulator supports third-generation (3G) CDMA and GSM wireless telephone networks, as well as WiMAX (802.16e) metropolitan-area data networks (MANs). With a seamless interface to TI's high-speed DAC5687 digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the new quadrature modulator provides manufacturers of wireless infrastructure equipment an affordable means to directly convert baseband or intermediate frequency (IF) signals to RF transmission levels, thereby reducing the bill of materials, space and power consumption, while offering faster development times and manufacturing cost savings. [For more information, please go to http://www.ti.com\wimaxwi ]
"The TRF3703 quadrature modulator demonstrates TI's ability to provide best-in-class technology for WiMAX infrastructure equipment, just as we have for wireless 2G and 3G infrastructures," said David Briggs, manager for TI's wireless infrastructure business unit. "TI's intent is to drive this emerging market by providing the most complete infrastructure signal chain, enabling manufacturers to develop more complete, flexible end equipments that reduce the overall total cost of ownership for service providers."
The TRF3703 builds on TI's success with earlier quadrature modulators and other signal-chain devices, adding ultra-low-noise and high-frequency RF transmission modulation to TI's comprehensive line of analog and digital products for wireless infrastructure. The device is capable of accepting modulated input signals ranging from zero (DC) to 350 megahertz (MHz), then providing RF output modulation from 400 MHz up to 4 GHz. This broad range of input-to-output levels allows the modulator to support direct conversion in equipment devoted to a wide range of transmission standards.
Implemented using TI's advanced silicon-germanium (SiGe) manufacturing process, the next-generation TRF3703 offers performance characteristics over a wide frequency range that are ahead of anything available in comparable products. A low noise floor of -164 decibel-milliwatt per Hertz (dBm/Hz) and an outstanding linearity of 25 dBm for the third order intercept point (OIP3) help in eliminating (reducing) the need for additional filtering. The adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) is 77 dBc for -11 dBm single-carrier WCDMA transmission, helping to ensure the clear separation of channels.
Cost-Effective Solutions for the Entire Signal Chain
The TRF3703 is a key element in TI's strategy to provide cost-effective solutions for the complete wireless signal chain. TI has been a leading-edge supplier of technology for wireless infrastructure applications for over 10 years, and is the only company today that supplies a complete analog and digital solution for the entire WiMAX infrastructure signal chain. Analog solutions from TI include data converters, RF chipsets and op amps, as well as reference designs to help speed development. TI's TMS320TCI6482 programmable digital signal processor (DSP), operating at speeds up to 1 GHz, is capable of handling multiple 3G air interface standards and a range of base station form factors on a single chip. The TCI6482 DSP's unique combination of high performance and power efficiency provides infrastructure OEMs with a platform to upgrade current systems easily and expand product portfolios efficiently.
Design Flexibility
The TRF3703 quadrature modulator interfaces to a variety of DACs for flexibility in RF transmitter design. With a seamless interface to TI's high- performance DAC5687 converter, the modulator provides a complete, easily implemented solution for direct up-conversion. The low-noise DAC5687 saves on external implementation by integrating phase, gain and offset adjustment features for interfacing to quadrature modulators. The TRF3703-DAC5687 combined solution replaces two RF up-conversion stages, saving mixers, buffer amps, local oscillators and RF filters. Transmitters designed using this architectural combination save space, power, components and cost compared with heterodyne solutions.
Operating from a single 5-volt supply, the TRF3703 modulator is implemented as a double-balanced mixer. The RF output block consists of a differential to single-ended converter and an RF amplifier that is capable of driving a single-ended 50-ohm load without any external components. Output compression of 10 dBm, unadjusted carrier leakage of -40 dBm (at 2GHz) and unadjusted sideband suppression of -40 dBc (at 2GHz) all serve to keep signal quality high and simplify design.
Availability, Pricing and Packaging
The TRF3703 quadrature modulator is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for Q2 2006. The device is packaged in a space-saving 4x4 mm, 24- pin QFN (quad flatpack no-lead) package. Pricing is planned at $7 per unit in quantities of 1K units.
ArrayComm and TI Collaborate on Smart Antenna Technology For Wireless Infrastructure Applications
Combined Solution Increases Range, Data Rates, Capacity and Coverage Quality for WiMAX and 3G
SAN JOSE, Calif. and DALLAS (February 27, 2006) - Addressing wireless service providers' needs to reduce operating expenses while increasing network performance, ArrayComm and Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a collaboration to combine ArrayComm's smart antenna technology with TI's high-performance digital signal processing for wireless infrastructure applications. Compared with existing systems, this combined solution provides operators with four-fold improvements in wireless system coverage, data rates more than doubled, and a capacity increase as much as ten times, all with better coverage quality for 802.16/WiMAX and WCDMA/HSDPA networks. Service providers using the combined solution will reduce capital and operating costs while increasing network performance. For more information, please visit http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi .
The combination of ArrayComm's Network MIMO(TM) smart antenna software and TI's family of high-performance TMS320TCI6482 DSPs on a single reference design provides base station equipment manufacturers with critical differentiation including shorter time to market, higher equipment performance and greater flexibility as wireless standards evolve.
"Our collaboration is a win-win for both the service provider and the base station equipment manufacturer," said Steve Sifferman, executive vice president of operations with ArrayComm. "TI has the industry's most powerful, versatile and complete DSP platform for wireless infrastructure solutions. Coupling TI's DSP with our smart antenna software will yield substantial improvements in the service providers' network implementations for both 3G and WiMAX."
The first element of this collaboration is a reference design for WiMAX infrastructure applications that incorporates ArrayComm's Network MIMO software, offering unique support of multiple input / multiple output (MIMO), adaptive antenna system (AAS) and combined MIMO/AAS modes. ArrayComm's Network MIMO software implements all the antenna processing aspects of the WiMAX profiles approved by the WiMAX Forum Mobile Task Group (MTG) for IEEE 802.16e. MIMO and AAS, used in combination, increase subscriber data rates, improve cell-edge link budgets, manage interference, and maximize overall network capacity. The result is a significant performance advantage for WiMAX. The Network MIMO architecture leverages more than 14 years of ArrayComm experience in commercial smart antenna applications, yielding a software solution that accelerates development of advanced base station products and reduces technical risk.
For the first time, ArrayComm' Network MIMO software has been ported to TI's 1 GHz TMS320TCI6482 DSP. This optimized DSP performs at nearly twice the clock speed of other available solutions, yet consumes only three watts of power, making it the industry's most power efficient DSP for wireless infrastructure systems. The TCI6482 DSP's unique combination of high performance and low power provides infrastructure OEMs with a platform to upgrade current systems easily and expand product portfolios efficiently. The software programmable nature of the TCI6482 DSP allows users to upgrade their solutions to meet the needs of evolving standards. Also, it simplifies feature changes and upgrades to meet certification requirements.
"ArrayComm's expertise in smart antenna technology matched with TI's industry-leading TCI6482 DSP creates a unique combination that can positively impact equipment manufacturers' ease of use and time to market," said Jerold Givens, DSP platform manager, communications infrastructure, Texas Instruments. "In addition, this solution will help carriers to lower their deployment costs and further protect their network investments."
About ArrayComm
ArrayComm LLC, a Ygomi Group company, is the leader in antenna processing for wireless systems. ArrayComm software delivers large gains in range, capacity, data rates, and coverage quality for all wireless communications protocols, in base station, client device, or MIMO architectures. ArrayComm smart antenna software is implemented in WiMAX, PHS, GSM, WLL, WCDMA, and HC- SDMA networks, and it is operating in more than 275,000 commercial deployments today. For wireless equipment manufacturers, tapping ArrayComm's unmatched experience in smart antenna applications enables significant performance and time-to-market advantages while reducing development cost and technical risk. For more information, please visit http://www.arraycomm.com
Trademarks
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
ArrayComm and Network MIMO are trademarks of ArrayComm LLC.
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
CONTACT: Marcia Barnett of Texas Instruments Incorporated, +1-214-480-2050, or mpickett@ti.com ; or Erin Arnold, +1-972-341-2506, or earnold@golinharris.com , or Nicole Aguillard, +1-713-513-9572, or naguillard@golinharris.com , both of GolinHarris, for Texas Instruments Incorporated; or Mara Craggs of ArrayComm LLC, +1-408-952-1868, or mcraggs@arraycomm.com . Please do not publish these numbers or e-mail addresses.URL: http://www.prnewswire.com http://www.ti.com http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi http://www.ti.com/wi http://www.arraycomm.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: TexasINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR EDA ECP SEM MLMSUBJECT CODE: PDT
Cingular Wireless Investing More Than $165 Million in its Louisiana
Network in 2006 - New Cell Sites, Enhanced Voice/Data Quality and Capacity for
ALLOVER(SM) Network - Progress Made in Integration of Former AT&T Wireless
Network - Enhanced Back-Up Power Through More Than 150 Permanent Generators
NEW ORLEANS, Feb 27, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, is investing more than $165 million in its Louisiana network in 2006, bringing customers improved wireless coverage, service and call quality.
The 2006 investment in Cingular's Louisiana network will bring more than 60 new cell sites, the addition of new permanent generators, the integration of the network assets of the former AT&T Wireless, new switching facilities to improve call routing capabilities, and overall capacity to Cingular's ALLOVER(SM) Network, which is the nation's largest all-digital voice and data network.
"Since the hurricanes devastated the region last year, Cingular has been dedicated to helping Louisiana rebuild its infrastructure and our multi- million dollar network investment again this year is proof of that commitment," said Joe Larussa, vice president & general manager, Cingular Wireless Louisiana/Alabama/Mississippi/NW Florida. "This year's investment will strengthen and expand our network reach in rural communities and boost emergency back-up power with the addition of more than 150 new generators -- so that our customers have access to advanced wireless services."
In 2005, Cingular invested more than $144 million here in Louisiana on network improvements. Nationwide, the company spent approximately $6.5 billion on the network and will spend nearly that in 2006, bringing its overall investment since the company's 2004 acquisition of AT&T Wireless to approximately $13 billion.
Steve Sitton, Cingular's President for the Southeast Region also commented on the significance of the investment, "Last year, we invested over $1.8 billion in our network and added more than 780 cell sites in the Southeast Region alone, and 2006 will be another landmark year for the Southeast and for Louisiana."
Network enhancements planned for 2006 in Louisiana include: Southeast Louisiana - Baton Rouge and Surrounding Areas Building eight and integrating 24 cell sites across East and West Baton Rouge, Ascension, Ascension, Iberville, St. James and Livingston Parishes. - Hammond and Surrounding Areas Building three and integrating two new cell sites across Tangipahoa Parish. - Greater New Orleans and Surrounding Areas Building four and integrating 62 new cell sites across Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany Parishes. Southwest Louisiana - Lafayette and Surrounding Parishes Building nine and integrating six new cell sites across St. Landry, Vermilion, St. Martin and Evangeline Parishes. - Lake Charles and Surrounding Parishes Building 11 and integrating four new cell sites across Allen, Acadia, Beauregard, Vernon and Calcasieu Parishes. North Louisiana - Monroe and Surrounding Parishes Building six and integrating four new cell sites across Caldwell, Ouachita, Morehouse, Richland, Madison and Franklin Parishes. - Shreveport and Surrounding Parishes Building four and integrating 64 new cell sites across Caddo, Bossier, De Soto, Red River, Natchitoches, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Union, Lincoln and Jackson Parishes. Central Louisiana - Alexandria and Surrounding Parishes Building 18 and integrating 11 new cell sites across Sabine, Evangeline, Avoyelles, Rapides, LaSalle, Vernon and Franklin Parishes.
By the end of the first quarter of 2006, Cingular will have completed the AT&T Wireless network integration in more than 80 percent of its Southeast cities. In Louisiana, great progress has been made and completion is expected by mid-year. This involves choosing the best cell sites from both networks, eliminating duplicate equipment, and combining the technologies onto a common network platform. Once complete, customers across the region will experience fewer dropped and blocked calls and improved overall quality of service.
Network Testing
Cingular diligently monitors the quality and coverage of its network. In addition to third-party vendors who assess the company's network performance, Cingular network engineers constantly measure the effectiveness of its network enhancements by drive and walk testing approximately one million miles per year throughout the Gulf States.
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 54.1 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications Inc., (NYSE: T), and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVER(SM) network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(R), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases e-mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.
SOURCE Cingular Wireless
CONTACT: Dawn Benton of Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-5305, or wireless, +1-404-202-6335, or Dawn.benton@cingular.comURL: http://www.prnewswire.com http://www.cingular.com http://cingular.mediaroom.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: Louisiana GeorgiaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR TLSSUBJECT CODE: PDT
=DJ THE SKEPTIC: Vodafone's Kitchen Sink
By Robb M. Stewart A DOW JONES NEWSWIRES COLUMN
LONDON (Dow Jones)--Arun Sarin doesn't sound like a man running a company on borrowed time.
The Vodafone (VOD) chief continues to open closets, unearthing disappointments for investors already disaffected by a share price that has been declined in a rising market.
This week he announced the telecom operator would reduce the carrying value of its assets by as much as GBP28 billion, primarily in Germany but also in Italy and possibly Japan.
This mind-bogglingly huge amount - a figure greater than the annual GDP of almost every sub-Saharan country - isn't as worrying as it might first appear.
It doesn't affect cash or distribution reserves, so shouldn't deter Sarin from raising Vodafone's dividend payout in May. And the writedown can even be welcomed as an unavoidable reality check that rather than further tarnishing Sarin highlights the fallout of predecessor Sir Chris Gent's expansion years and the billions in shares he issued.
Yet even as this, as the tax burden unveiled late last year before it, can't be pinned on Sarin, it doesn't mean the current CEO won't soon find the carpet pulled out from under him. He may claim the continued support of the board, but he can't say the same of some large shareholders.
What Sarin has yet to answer is how Vodafone will find its way back to growth. Without a response, demands will only increase for a retrenchment and distribution of the proceeds in shareholders' favor.
Already there are calls for the company to exit its holding in Verizon Wireless (VRZ.XX), despite the poor logic of doing so - there's only one clear buyer, there's a potentially large tax liability involved, the business is flourishing while Vodafone is floundering, and it ignores the possibility scale actually does matter.
Sarin increasingly has owned up to the tough competitive and pricing environment the company faces in core markets, but it's interesting that he and his team are now also pointing to the risks from new technology, particularly the threat of WiFi.
At the recent 3GSM World Congress, Nokia (NOK) unveiled its first mass-market product capable of switching between WiFi broadband and a mobile network - a step toward much-lauded "convergence." This paves the way for Internet giants to move into telephony, offering VoIP and effectively free calling for customers.
And recently mobile operator Orange announced plans to launch a fixed-line service in Vodafone's home market, an acknowledgment that not every small and medium-sized company will be throwing away their desk phones in favor of a mobile handsets.
Sarin has been fairly open about the tough times ahead for the mobile market, and should be applauded for bringing a level of realism to the outlook for the year ahead.
But this probably won't be the last profit warning from Vodafone, and Sarin is running out of time to unveil a plan to revive the company's fortunes and prove he isn't stuck in the tracks of his predecessor, striving for revenue in emerging markets while leaving the door open for competition in established markets.
The likelihood is that it's a question of when, not if, he is ousted.
(Robb M. Stewart, founder of the Skeptic column in 2001, has reported for Dow Jones Newswires since 1997 from Sweden and the U.K. He can be reached at robb.stewart@dowjones.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-27-06 0858ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Texas Instruments Applies Communications Infrastructure Leadership to
WiMAX Market with New Offerings TI WiMAX Solutions Enable Infrastructure OEMs to
Quickly Deliver Products to Market
DALLAS, Feb 27, 2006 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Extending its leadership in wireless infrastructure applications, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a new portfolio of digital and analog products for WiMAX applications. By addressing the complete signal chain, TI enables OEMs to leverage their existing 3G designs to quickly develop WiMAX products. The availability of field-ready infrastructure products will spur deployment of WiMAX-enabled services into the market. These products will also support other applications built around OFDM technology. [For more information, please go to http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi ]
Earlier this year, the WiMAX Forum announced the first WiMAX Forum Certified(TM) products, based on the IEEE 802.16-2004 and ETSI HiperMAN standards. Forward Concepts estimates that by 2009, sales of fixed and mobile WiMAX equipment will reach $2 billion.
End-to-End Infrastructure Solution Speeds Product Development TI's new WiMAX portfolio includes: * Support for fixed and mobile wireless infrastructure applications, as well as multiple frequency bands. As a result, OEMs can develop a single infrastructure platform that can be quickly and cost- effectively configured for each operator's or country's requirements. * The TMS320TCI6482 DSP at 1 GHz plus a WiMAX physical layer software library optimized for the DSP platform. * A portfolio of radio frequency (RF) products as well as data converters, up/down converters and amplifiers. * Reference designs, AMC and ATCA cards from several third parties. [See http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi for additional press releases.] * Support for MIMO Smart Antenna technology via ArrayComm. ArrayComm and TI have recently collaborated on a reference design for WiMAX infrastructure applications.
"TI has played a key role in growing the wireless infrastructure market," said Kent Novak, worldwide manager of TI's high speed communications business unit. "Our WiMAX portfolio further demonstrates our leadership and these new products allow OEMs to leverage their own intellectual property while reducing the cost, risk and lead time for entering the WiMAX market."
"Manufacturers anticipated that the move to 3G would lead to a single standard for wireless infrastructure technology," said Jagdish Rebello of iSuppli Corporation. "However, multiple standards continue to flourish today, leaving wireless operators and OEMs with a wide variety of air interface technologies to support. OEMs look for ways to extend their technology investments and establish leadership positions in emerging markets, like WiMAX. TI is well positioned to provide customers with a portfolio of products, enabling them to re-use their common platforms in emerging and future markets."
TI's WiMAX portfolio is also attractive for infrastructure vendors, who now can leverage components used across a wide variety of technologies. This applicability for multiple markets translates into high volumes, which drive down their cost and helps create a low-cost alternative for emerging vendors to enter the burgeoning WiMAX sector.
TI demonstrated its ongoing commitment and support to the WiMAX industry by joining the WiMAX Forum earlier this year. As a WiMAX Forum member, TI will collaborate with other companies to understand the needs and concerns of the growing WiMAX industry while helping to drive standards.
TI announced its first WiMAX products last year and plans several additions to its portfolio of WiMAX products throughout this year.
Trademarks
Code Composer Studio is a trademark of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Texas Instruments Newest Communications Infrastructure Technology Prepares Service Providers for WiMAX and Beyond DSP-based Solution Enables Manufacturers to Roll out Advanced WiMAX Infrastructure Technologies More Quickly
DALLAS (Feb. 27, 2006) - Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced its newest 1 GHz DSP-based 802.16e base station solution, enabling its customers to develop customized, high-performance WiMAX systems. This new product supports the mobile WiMAX standard and addresses the growing market need for this emerging technology. TI's newest WiMAX infrastructure solution incorporates the TMS320TCI6482 high-performance DSP, optimized baseband software and development tools. For more information, please visit http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi .
"The quick ratification of the 802.16e mobile WiMAX standard late last year, indicates a strong interest by the technology's supporters to bring products to market at the same time as other advanced wireless standards, like 3G EV-DO and HSDPA," said Gemma Tedesco, In-Stat senior analyst. "Additionally, the WiMAX chipset market is anticipated to reach $950 million by 2009, offering companies like TI a unique opportunity to capitalize on this quickly-growing industry, while developing technologies similar to those that have given them strong market leadership."
Reusing Technology to Meet Future Demands
TI's flexible system solution supports both fixed and mobile applications across multiple frequency bands. This flexibility enables equipment manufacturers to create cost-effective system configurations that can be used for multiple WiMAX applications including cellular backhaul, rural deployments, portable mobility and last mile connectivity.
At the heart of TI's solution for WiMAX is the TMS320TCI6482 DSP, designed for wireless infrastructure applications. TI's 1 GHz DSP improves cost and power per channel by efficiently processing WiMAX physical layer, IFFT/FFT and MIMO/beamforming algorithms. The programmable DSP-based solution can be easily software upgraded in the field to support advanced features, thereby protecting manufacturers' and service providers' initial technology investment.
Complementing the TCI6482 DSP is a commercial quality software library implementing key physical layer functions of the WiMAX standard. The highly optimized and tested software reduces product development time, while allowing manufacturers to customize the software and add their own intellectual property. TI's phased software development approach enables customers to get to market quickly with a working system, while allowing them to use additional software components to add capabilities and services over time. This level of flexibility is very important to the manufacturers who need to differentiate their product offering from their competitors.
Creating a WiMAX solution using TI's DSP and software libraries is made easier through the use of TI's leading software development environment and hardware platforms. TI's new Platinum Edition of its Code Composer Studio(TM) Integrated Development Environment is available today, providing new debug and code profiling features for the TCI6482 DSP. Further, hardware platforms are available from TI and its third party partners in a variety of form factors, including ATCA Mezzanine Cards (AMC) housing one or multiple TCI6482 DSPs. The combination of high performance, programmable DSPs, application libraries and the right development tools allow equipment manufacturers to get started easily and get to market quickly with highly flexible, differentiated WiMAX basestation solutions.
"Our customers are asking for a flexible and cost-effective means of supporting WiMAX networks," said Sandeep Kumar, TI's wireless infrastructure strategic marketing manager. "TI's solutions make it easier for them to upgrade their systems to support advanced features as WiMAX evolves. Additionally, because our solutions are based on programmable DSPs, our customers can reuse their hardware and software to support other emerging OFDM standards."
Broad Portfolio of Products for Advanced WiMAX Base Stations
TI's new DSP-based solution for WiMAX joins an already robust set of products available from TI to address this emerging standard. Last year, TI announced its broad line of radio frequency chipsets for 2.5GHz, 3.5GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies. TI has also announced today a new member of its radio frequency (RF) family, the TRF3703, an ultra-low-noise 4 GHz quadrature modulator. With a seamless interface to TI's high-speed DAC5687 digital-to- analog converter (DAC), the new quadrature modulator provides a direct means of converting baseband or intermediate frequency (IF) signals to RF transmission levels.
Availability
TI's new WiMAX base station solution includes the TCI6482 DSP and highly optimized symbol rate and chip rate software libraries. The solution is currently available, with full production expected later this year.
For more information on this product and TI's complete line of communications infrastructure solutions, please visit http://www.ti.com/wi .
Texas Instruments Introduces Ultra-Low-Noise 4 GHz Quadrature Modulator for
2.5/3G, WiMAX Infrastructure Transmitters New TRF3703 IQ Modulator Supports Direct Baseband-to-RF Conversion, Saving Design Cost and Complexity
DALLAS (February 27, 2006) - Advancing its leadership as a provider of enabling technology for the wireless industry, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a high-performance, low-noise in-phase quadrature (IQ) modulator supporting radio frequency (RF) transmissions up to 4 GHz in wireless infrastructure equipment. The new TRF3703 modulator supports third-generation (3G) CDMA and GSM wireless telephone networks, as well as WiMAX (802.16e) metropolitan-area data networks (MANs). With a seamless interface to TI's high-speed DAC5687 digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the new quadrature modulator provides manufacturers of wireless infrastructure equipment an affordable means to directly convert baseband or intermediate frequency (IF) signals to RF transmission levels, thereby reducing the bill of materials, space and power consumption, while offering faster development times and manufacturing cost savings. [For more information, please go to http://www.ti.com\wimaxwi ]
"The TRF3703 quadrature modulator demonstrates TI's ability to provide best-in-class technology for WiMAX infrastructure equipment, just as we have for wireless 2G and 3G infrastructures," said David Briggs, manager for TI's wireless infrastructure business unit. "TI's intent is to drive this emerging market by providing the most complete infrastructure signal chain, enabling manufacturers to develop more complete, flexible end equipments that reduce the overall total cost of ownership for service providers."
The TRF3703 builds on TI's success with earlier quadrature modulators and other signal-chain devices, adding ultra-low-noise and high-frequency RF transmission modulation to TI's comprehensive line of analog and digital products for wireless infrastructure. The device is capable of accepting modulated input signals ranging from zero (DC) to 350 megahertz (MHz), then providing RF output modulation from 400 MHz up to 4 GHz. This broad range of input-to-output levels allows the modulator to support direct conversion in equipment devoted to a wide range of transmission standards.
Implemented using TI's advanced silicon-germanium (SiGe) manufacturing process, the next-generation TRF3703 offers performance characteristics over a wide frequency range that are ahead of anything available in comparable products. A low noise floor of -164 decibel-milliwatt per Hertz (dBm/Hz) and an outstanding linearity of 25 dBm for the third order intercept point (OIP3) help in eliminating (reducing) the need for additional filtering. The adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) is 77 dBc for -11 dBm single-carrier WCDMA transmission, helping to ensure the clear separation of channels.
Cost-Effective Solutions for the Entire Signal Chain
The TRF3703 is a key element in TI's strategy to provide cost-effective solutions for the complete wireless signal chain. TI has been a leading-edge supplier of technology for wireless infrastructure applications for over 10 years, and is the only company today that supplies a complete analog and digital solution for the entire WiMAX infrastructure signal chain. Analog solutions from TI include data converters, RF chipsets and op amps, as well as reference designs to help speed development. TI's TMS320TCI6482 programmable digital signal processor (DSP), operating at speeds up to 1 GHz, is capable of handling multiple 3G air interface standards and a range of base station form factors on a single chip. The TCI6482 DSP's unique combination of high performance and power efficiency provides infrastructure OEMs with a platform to upgrade current systems easily and expand product portfolios efficiently.
Design Flexibility
The TRF3703 quadrature modulator interfaces to a variety of DACs for flexibility in RF transmitter design. With a seamless interface to TI's high- performance DAC5687 converter, the modulator provides a complete, easily implemented solution for direct up-conversion. The low-noise DAC5687 saves on external implementation by integrating phase, gain and offset adjustment features for interfacing to quadrature modulators. The TRF3703-DAC5687 combined solution replaces two RF up-conversion stages, saving mixers, buffer amps, local oscillators and RF filters. Transmitters designed using this architectural combination save space, power, components and cost compared with heterodyne solutions.
Operating from a single 5-volt supply, the TRF3703 modulator is implemented as a double-balanced mixer. The RF output block consists of a differential to single-ended converter and an RF amplifier that is capable of driving a single-ended 50-ohm load without any external components. Output compression of 10 dBm, unadjusted carrier leakage of -40 dBm (at 2GHz) and unadjusted sideband suppression of -40 dBc (at 2GHz) all serve to keep signal quality high and simplify design.
Availability, Pricing and Packaging
The TRF3703 quadrature modulator is sampling now, with volume production scheduled for Q2 2006. The device is packaged in a space-saving 4x4 mm, 24- pin QFN (quad flatpack no-lead) package. Pricing is planned at $7 per unit in quantities of 1K units.
ArrayComm and TI Collaborate on Smart Antenna Technology For Wireless Infrastructure Applications
Combined Solution Increases Range, Data Rates, Capacity and Coverage Quality for WiMAX and 3G
SAN JOSE, Calif. and DALLAS (February 27, 2006) - Addressing wireless service providers' needs to reduce operating expenses while increasing network performance, ArrayComm and Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN) (TI) today announced a collaboration to combine ArrayComm's smart antenna technology with TI's high-performance digital signal processing for wireless infrastructure applications. Compared with existing systems, this combined solution provides operators with four-fold improvements in wireless system coverage, data rates more than doubled, and a capacity increase as much as ten times, all with better coverage quality for 802.16/WiMAX and WCDMA/HSDPA networks. Service providers using the combined solution will reduce capital and operating costs while increasing network performance. For more information, please visit http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi .
The combination of ArrayComm's Network MIMO(TM) smart antenna software and TI's family of high-performance TMS320TCI6482 DSPs on a single reference design provides base station equipment manufacturers with critical differentiation including shorter time to market, higher equipment performance and greater flexibility as wireless standards evolve.
"Our collaboration is a win-win for both the service provider and the base station equipment manufacturer," said Steve Sifferman, executive vice president of operations with ArrayComm. "TI has the industry's most powerful, versatile and complete DSP platform for wireless infrastructure solutions. Coupling TI's DSP with our smart antenna software will yield substantial improvements in the service providers' network implementations for both 3G and WiMAX."
The first element of this collaboration is a reference design for WiMAX infrastructure applications that incorporates ArrayComm's Network MIMO software, offering unique support of multiple input / multiple output (MIMO), adaptive antenna system (AAS) and combined MIMO/AAS modes. ArrayComm's Network MIMO software implements all the antenna processing aspects of the WiMAX profiles approved by the WiMAX Forum Mobile Task Group (MTG) for IEEE 802.16e. MIMO and AAS, used in combination, increase subscriber data rates, improve cell-edge link budgets, manage interference, and maximize overall network capacity. The result is a significant performance advantage for WiMAX. The Network MIMO architecture leverages more than 14 years of ArrayComm experience in commercial smart antenna applications, yielding a software solution that accelerates development of advanced base station products and reduces technical risk.
For the first time, ArrayComm' Network MIMO software has been ported to TI's 1 GHz TMS320TCI6482 DSP. This optimized DSP performs at nearly twice the clock speed of other available solutions, yet consumes only three watts of power, making it the industry's most power efficient DSP for wireless infrastructure systems. The TCI6482 DSP's unique combination of high performance and low power provides infrastructure OEMs with a platform to upgrade current systems easily and expand product portfolios efficiently. The software programmable nature of the TCI6482 DSP allows users to upgrade their solutions to meet the needs of evolving standards. Also, it simplifies feature changes and upgrades to meet certification requirements.
"ArrayComm's expertise in smart antenna technology matched with TI's industry-leading TCI6482 DSP creates a unique combination that can positively impact equipment manufacturers' ease of use and time to market," said Jerold Givens, DSP platform manager, communications infrastructure, Texas Instruments. "In addition, this solution will help carriers to lower their deployment costs and further protect their network investments."
About ArrayComm
ArrayComm LLC, a Ygomi Group company, is the leader in antenna processing for wireless systems. ArrayComm software delivers large gains in range, capacity, data rates, and coverage quality for all wireless communications protocols, in base station, client device, or MIMO architectures. ArrayComm smart antenna software is implemented in WiMAX, PHS, GSM, WLL, WCDMA, and HC- SDMA networks, and it is operating in more than 275,000 commercial deployments today. For wireless equipment manufacturers, tapping ArrayComm's unmatched experience in smart antenna applications enables significant performance and time-to-market advantages while reducing development cost and technical risk. For more information, please visit http://www.arraycomm.com
Trademarks
All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
ArrayComm and Network MIMO are trademarks of ArrayComm LLC.
Texas Instruments and Mercury Computer Systems Announce a WiMAX AMC for Next-
Generation Mobile Broadband Market
Mercury's MTI-203 WiMAX AMC is Designed with TI's Latest Wireless Infrastructure DSP WiMAX Solution to Support 20 MHz Multi-Antenna Solution on
a Single AMC Module
DALLAS (February 27, 2006) - Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) (TI) and Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRCY) today announced their collaboration on the development of the Mercury MTI-203 AMC (Advanced Mezzanine Card) for WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) wireless infrastructure digital base band applications.
WiMAX is an evolving standard for point-to-multipoint wireless networking that provides high-throughput broadband connections over long distances for a number of applications including high-speed enterprise connectivity for businesses.
The highly integrated module is designed to support TI's newly announced WiMAX/802.16e infrastructure solution for wireless applications, which includes software, analog, and RF products from TI. The multi-standard support for the TMS320TCI6482 digital signal processor (DSP) is expected to provide a fertile development ground for OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), a technique for transmitting large amounts of digital data over a radio wave, and other emerging air interfaces in general.
The Mercury MTI-203 will be anchored with three TCI6482 DSPs and a supporting compute node to create a WiMAX infrastructure base band solution. The module will enable all physical layer processing required for a 20 MHz, TDD, multi-antenna solution with Smart Antenna MIMO enabled. As a base band development platform, the MTI-203 is designed to support advanced features such as Smart Antenna and MIMO (multiple input/multiple output) transmission across a breadth of air interfaces. Visit http://www.mc.com/atca for more information on Mercury's MTI-203 AMC and other TI DSP AMC modules including the MTI-104 and MTI-101 AMCs.
"Combining TI DSPs and an FPGA on the same AMC module provides the best of both worlds -- customers can benefit from partitioning their application to the most appropriate processing technology on the same AMC," said Mark Skalabrin, Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Solutions business at Mercury. "TI and Mercury worked closely together to specify a turnkey base band solution on an AMC that will focus on solving customers' problems using the best technology available."
The MTI-203 DSP/FPGA AMC expands the capabilities of the Mercury Ensemble2(TM) family of blades and AMC modules to support highly integrated DSP/FPGA applications. The Ensemble2 AdvancedTCA(R) platform is specifically designed around the performance, scalability, and reliability of the serial RapidIO(R) embedded system interconnect for data plane applications. Leveraging Mercury's renowned expertise in architecting and building efficient, scalable platforms for highly demanding applications in embedded computing, Ensemble2 is expected to deliver unprecedented levels of integration and scalability across a broad class of heterogeneous processing architectures that includes digital signal processors, communications processors, FPGAs, and network processors.
Ensemble2 is ideally suited to support WiMAX development activities: - Multiple heterogeneous AMCs to customize application -- option to plug in host processor, radio cards, Network Interface Card (NIC) AMC. - Scalability through a combination of AMCs and Carrier Cards -- the use of RapidIO(TM) for chip-to-chip and across-the-chassis connectivity allows seamless scaling from a single sector system to multi-sector, multi-antenna, multi-carrier WiMAX base station implementation. - Flexibility to easily expand specific processing nodes to address application performance bottleneck. Additional FPGA or DSP modules over RapidIO support specific application requirements. - Homogeneous interconnect between processing nodes to enable ease of programming over RapidIO between DSPs, communication processors, and FPGAs.
Mercury's MTI-203 utilizes TI's 1 GHz DSP and optimized WiMAX software library to speed development and time to market for equipment manufacturers developing WiMAX solutions. The TMS320TCI6482 DSP improves cost and power per channel by accelerating PHY processing and can also be easily upgraded to support future infrastructure needs while protecting manufacturers' and service providers' initial technology investment. The WiMAX-optimized software from TI minimizes product development time, while enabling the manufacturer to add their own customized software. This approach enables reduced implementation risk, enables quicker time to market, and provides room for competitive differentiation on the end product.
"When combined with TI's highly optimized and robust WiMAX software library, the MTI-203 and the Ensemble2 system provide exceptional flexibility and value for WiMAX base station developers," said Jerold Givens, manager, DSP communications infrastructure group at TI. "We are pleased to work with Mercury to deliver a high performance, flexible solution that speeds development of WiMAX products."
Availability
Early customer access of the Mercury MTI-203 module is planned for September 2006. For more information on the MTI-203 AMC, visit Mercury's website at http://www.mc.com/ensemble2 , or contact Mercury at (866) 627-6951 or webinfo@mc.com .
About Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.
Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRCY) is the leading provider of high-performance embedded, real-time digital signal and image processing computer systems. Mercury's products play a critical role in a wide range of applications, transforming sensor data to information for analysis and interpretation. In military reconnaissance and surveillance platforms the Company's systems process real-time radar, sonar, and signals intelligence data. Mercury's systems are also used in state-of-the-art medical diagnostic imaging devices including MRI, CT, PET, and digital X-ray, and in semiconductor imaging applications including photomask generation and wafer inspection. Mercury provides advanced 3D image processing and visualization software and optimized systems to diverse end markets including life sciences, geosciences, and simulation. The Company also provides radio frequency (RF) products for enhanced communications capabilities in military and commercial applications.
Based in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Mercury serves customers in North America, Europe and Asia through its direct sales force and a network of subsidiaries and distributors. Visit Mercury on the web at http://www.mc.com .
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls, and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those relating to the Mercury MT-203 AMC or work in collaboration with Texas Instruments. You can identify these statements by our use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. These forward- looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, including unforeseen weakness in Mercury's markets, effects of continued geo-political unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology, and methods of marketing, delays in completing engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, continued funding of defense programs, the timing of such funding, changes in the U.S. Government's interpretation of federal procurement rules and regulations, market acceptance of Mercury's products, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, and inability to fully realize the expected benefits from acquisitions or delays in realizing such benefits, challenges in integrating acquired businesses, and achieving anticipated synergies, and difficulties in retaining key customers. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in Mercury's recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2005. Mercury cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Mercury undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made.
Trademarks
Ensemble2 is a trademark of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. RapidIO is a registered trademark of the RapidIO Trade Association. Other product and company names mentioned may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
SOURCE Texas Instruments Incorporated
CONTACT: Marcia Barnett of Texas Instruments Incorporated, +1-214-480-2050, or mpickett@ti.com ; or Erin Arnold, +1-972-341-2506, or earnold@golinharris.com , or Nicole Aguillard, +1-713-513-9572, or naguillard@golinharris.com , both of GolinHarris, for Texas Instruments Incorporated; or Mara Craggs of ArrayComm LLC, +1-408-952-1868, or mcraggs@arraycomm.com ; or Kathy Donahue of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc., +1-978-967-1126, or kdonahue@mc.com . Please do not publish these numbers or e-mail addresses.URL: http://www.prnewswire.com http://www.ti.com http://www.ti.com/wimaxwi http://www.ti.com/wi http://www.arraycomm.com http://www.mc.com/atca http://www.mc.com/ensemble2 http://www.mc.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
-0-
KEYWORD: Texas MassachusettsINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR EDA ECP SEM MLMSUBJECT CODE: PDT
DJ MARKET TALK: RIMM Workaround Could Be Pivot Point
Edited by Paul Vigna Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (call: 201-938-5172; e-mail: paul.vigna@dowjones.com) MARKET TALK can be found using N/DJMT
2:33 (Dow Jones) JPMorgan's latest take on Research In Motion (RIMM) patent saga with NTP. "We believe the worst case scenario for RIMM is obviously an injunction, with an immediate impact to the stock of 20-25%, though downside of up to 40%+ is possible if the workaround were also impacted," or if there's a likelihood the injunction continues for a long period. Other outcomes, positive for RIMM: judge doesn't bother with workaround, which reduces threat of injunction having material impact and buys RIMM time for patent appeals to be finalized; or court denies injunction but grants NTP accrued payments and royalties on future sales. Royalty payment "would be more than offset by multiple expansion" with lifting of litigation overhang, JPM says. (JHS)
2:20 (Dow Jones) Although Esterline Tech's (ESL) FY1Q earnings missed Street views, they still beat the company's own forecast, Stephens notes. "We continue to believe that our full year and longer-term views remain relatively intact," firm says. The solid commercial aerospace and defense market over the next several years should be good for ESL, firm adds. Stephens maintains overweight rating and $50 price target, and advises buying on the weakness. ESL down 5.7% at $40.70. (PJV)
2:09 (Dow Jones) Lead S&P and Nasdaq futures contracts near unchanged after midday, as sources report minimal participation. The more than $2/bbl rise in crude oil futures has not produced a big equity sell-off, but it might be stalling rally attempts. March S&P's stay in a 5.9 point trading range, finding stubborn chart resistance at Wednesday's 1 1/4-month high of 1296.00. Recently trading at 1298.80, down 0.4 points. March Nasdaq slipped below its Thursday low of 1673.00 before staging a modest rebound. Recently at 1675.50, unchanged. (HLP)
2:00 (Dow Jones) Strong crude-oil prices after an attempted suicide-bombing attack at a Saudi oil facility, plus safe-haven buying, sent gold sharply higher, analysts say. Buy stops were triggered. Silver followed, extending its gains quickly on buying right before the end of the session. April gold settled up $10.30 to $561.20 an ounce. (ALS)
1:52 (Dow Jones) February wasn't a pleasant month for shorts lurking in the telecom sector. A rally among telecom players, sparked by in-line quarterly results, higher risk tolerance and waning bear conviction, has driven down short interest, says Banc of America. Verizon (VZ) saw its short interest fall for the first time in four months following healthy 4Q results and the closure of the MCI merger, while Citizens Communications (CZN) and Sprint Nextel (S) also saw significant declines. With the rally cooling, Banc of America does see short interest rising again in March. (RC)
1:38 (Dow Jones) Westwood One (WON) plummets after issuing a weak 1Q outlook. The company's projection - high single-digit to low double-digit revenue declines - was "significantly" below expectations, "especially during an Olympic quarter," Bear Stearns says. Traffic revenue in the 4Q, which fell 10%, was also worse than expected. "We had expected some weakness in traffic but not of this magnitude," firm says. Citigroup says forecast would work out to a 1Q loss, "a situation we have not seen in many years," and highlights company-specific issues layered on top of industry weakness. WON down 18% at $11.48. (PJV)
1:27 (Dow Jones) With slackening competition from Delta (DAL), JPMorgan ups JetBlue (JBLU) to neutral form underweight. "Contrary to our expectations, Delta has materially reduced summer flying levels in former Song markets, between the Northeast and Florida," the firm says. "Overnight schedule transmissions suggest an average of 13 fewer daily frequencies in key JetBlue markets, a reduction of 25%. Given the incorporation of smaller gauge aircraft in certain markets, we expect actual Delta seating capacity to decline by 32% versus earlier planned Summer 2006 levels. Accordingly, we believe JetBlue will return to profitability in 2006," JPM says. JBLU up 4.4% to 11.59. (JHS)
1:10 (Dow Jones) US stocks have improved as the session progresses with the Dow Industrials shaking off much of their morning losses. Main sources of weakness for the index -- Altria and J&J, offset somewhat by Exxon's gains. Energy, financials, utilities and even chips (despite negative Intel sentiment) all higher. Real estate and telecom are weak. DJIA off about 23 points; Nasdaq up 5; S&P 500 up about a point. (JHS)
12:53 (Dow Jones) CIBC downgrades Capital One (COF) to sector performer from outperformer, "based upon the recent move in the stock and based upon our belief that our outlook for earnings upside to current estimates has tempered," the firm says. Wait for a more compelling entry point or stronger growth outlook before getting more aggressive on the shares, CIBC says. The downgrade isn't based on any fears over credit quality, the firm adds. COF off 0.9% to $88.03. (JHS)
12:37 (Dow Jones) "We do not see anyone topping National Grid's $42 all cash deal" for KeySpan (KSE), Calyon says. "Other bidder's would likely have to pay $45 or higher if the offer was in stock," the firm adds. ConEd (ED) is the most likely other bidder, but would have a hard time justifying a $45/share price, Calyon says. Investors seem to agree -- KSE up 0.6% to $41.35. (JHS)
12:27 (Dow Jones) Some well known names in diverse industries are getting the thumbs up from Morgan Stanley chartist Mark Newton. He's encouraged by AT&T's (T) advance to new four-year highs, and although overbought, feels that the stock can move higher in the upcoming months. Dell has shown constructive signs of bottoming out near its 50% retracement level of a 2001 to 2004 advance. Further gains are likely to resistance targets near $35. Bank of America's (BAC) recent pullback could lead to buying opportunities to targets near $47.50, then $50, Newton says. (KJT)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1433ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ Research In Motion Up 8% As Virginia Hearing Ends >RIMM
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--No injunction...yet.
But Judge James Spencer's comments at a key hearing in Research In Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) patent dipute with NTP Inc. suggest that RIM investors may not want to exhale just yet.
RIM's stock was up as much as 10% earlier Friday, apparently due to the fact that the judge didn't issue an injunction on sales and service of BlackBerry in the U.S.
However, a ruling Friday - one way or the other - was always a long shot and Spencer's comments at the hearing suggested RIM isn't out of the woods yet. The BlackBerry maker faces a possible injunction due to a previous infringement finding against it in its long-running patent dispute with NTP, a Virginia patent concern.
"You have left this incredibly important and critical decision to the court," Spencer said at Friday's hearing, adding that his legal remedy for the dispute "will be imperfect for RIM's business."
RIM has been betting that the judge wouldn't ignore the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's ongoing review of NTP's patents when deciding on an injunction. The PTO has rejected all claims in all five disputed NTP patents in preliminary and secondary reviews. This week, it has issued final rejections of two of the patents, including a rejection on Friday.
However, NTP can appeal the rejections and the judge has always indicated that he wouldn't factor in the PTO's review until the appeals process is complete. That could take more than a year.
The judge reiterated his stance on the PTO review Friday, saying he is bound by a 2002 jury verdict that found RIM had infringed NTP's patents. The judge indicated that he is likely to first rule on final damages in the case before deciding whether to issue a patent injunction against RIM.
On Nasdaq Friday, RIM is up $5.74, or 8.2%, to $75.25 on about 12.8 million shares.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.net -Stuart Weinberg, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2026; stuart.weinberg@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1337ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
DJ RIMM CEO On CNBC: Settlement Hasn't Been An Option>RIMM -2-
NTP, a patent holding company that owns patents on wireless email delivery methods, alleged that Research in Motion violated several of its patents with the BlackBerry devices.
Research in Motion shares recently rose 7.7%, or $5.36, to $74.89 in Nasdaq composite trading.
-By Nicole Urbanowicz, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5460; nicole.urbanowicz@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1357ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ UPDATE: Judge Ends RIM Hearing Without Injunction Ruling
(Updates the first four paragraphs with additional details about the judge's views from the hearing, and the last paragraph with Research in Motion's share price.)
By Mark H. Anderson Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
RICHMOND, Va. (Dow Jones)--BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion Ltd. (RIMM) Friday escaped a federal court hearing without getting slapped immediately with a patent injunction, but the judge handling the case admonished the company for not settling its dispute with NTP Inc.
"You have left this incredibly important and critical decision to the court," U.S. District Judge James Spencer said, adding that his legal remedy for the dispute "will be imperfect" for RIM's business. "The cloud over RIM's business will continue."
Spencer said he is surprised the two companies have not reached a settlement on the matter. He dismissed the importance of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decisions issued Friday, saying he is bound by a jury verdict that found patent infringement by RIM.
The judge didn't rule from the bench - an unlikely outcome from Friday's hearing - but instead said he would rule as soon as possible. Spencer said he is likely to issue a decision on final damages before deciding whether to issue a patent injunction against RIM. The injunction hearing ended around 12:40 p.m. EST.
Earlier in oral arguments before the court, RIM Friday said that new Patent Office decisions denying claims by NTP Inc., of McLean, Va., demand an injunction not be issued against the Blackberry maker.
"The Patent Office has said these patents are invalid," said RIM attorney Henry Bunsow. "The patents at this point, if there was the new lawsuit, would not be enforceable."
Attorneys for RIM also said they have a workaround plan to avoid the patent claims, if necessary, and are prepared to implement it.
The Patent and Trademark Office on Friday issued a final rejection of a second NTP patent; it gave a final rejection of another NTP patent earlier in the week.
The PTO rejected patent number 5,436,960 Friday. This patent includes one of the claims that was remanded to the Virginia court. Earlier this week, the PTO rejected patent 6,067,451, which included two of the claims affirmed on appeal.
NTP, a patent-holding company, on Friday asked the district court to issue a patent injunction against Research in Motion and award $126 million in damages plus accrued royalties for patent infringement.
NTP has won several patent-infringement claims for wireless email processes in court against RIM, which has 4.4 million subscribers for its popular BlackBerry device.
Attorneys for RIM urged the court to order a new trial on the patent claims, arguing the outcome was substantially changed when a federal appeals court threw out some of the claims.
RIM said the royalty rate and damages should both be revisited.
A new trial might also give the company a chance to introduce U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decisions rejecting NTP's patents.
Judge Spencer, so far, has not tipped his hand on how he might rule, as both sides make extensive oral arguments to the court.
After the BlackBerry device came on the market, NTP alleged RIM violated several of its patents with the BlackBerry devices and won a judgment in federal court. NTP doesn't make a competing product, but owns patents on wireless email delivery methods.
As the case wound through numerous appeals, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reached a different conclusion about the disputed patents.
Attempts to settle the dispute have failed, leaving the immediate outcome in the hands of Judge Spencer. Spencer has already ruled the BlackBerry-maker should pay NTP $53 million in damages and an 8.55% royalty rate, prompting RIM to set aside $244 million to cover the potential payments.
RIM shares recently were up $5.22, or 7.5%, at $74.75.
-By Mark H. Anderson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9230
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1407ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
update:=DJ NTP Asks Court For $126M In Blackberry Damages >RIMM
Mark H. Anderson Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
Richmond, Va. (Dow Jones)--NTP Inc., a McLean, Va. patent-holding company, on Friday asked a U.S. district court to issue a patent injunction against Blackberry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) and award $126 million in damages plus accrued royalties for patent infringement.
"The world, we suggest, will not come to an end," said James Wallace, an attorney for NTP. He said the federal court could issue its injunction and RIM could work around the patent-infringement claims and customers could turn to competing products if necessary.
U.S. District Judge James Spencer is holding an injunction hearing in the long-running battle between the two companies. NTP has won several patent infringement claims for wireless email processes in court against RIM, which as 4.4 million subscribers for its popular Blackberry device.
Judge Spencer, so far, has not tipped his hand on how he might rule, as both sides make extensive oral arguments to the court.
After the BlackBerry device came on the market, NTP alleged Research In Motion violated several of its patents with the BlackBerry devices and won a judgment in federal court. NTP doesn't make a competing product but owns patents on wireless e-mail delivery methods.
As the case wound through numerous appeals, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has reached a different conclusion about the disputed patents. In preliminary rulings - and one final ruling this week - the patent office has rejected NTP's claims.
Attempts to settle the dispute have failed, leaving the immediate outcome in the hands of Judge Spencer. Judge Spencer has already ruled the BlackBerry maker should pay NTP $53 million in damages and an 8.55% royalty rate, prompting RIM to set aside $244 million to cover the potential payments.
-By Mark H. Anderson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9230
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1028ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
*DJ NTP Asks Court For $126M In BlackBerry Damages >RIMM
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1000ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
*DJ NTP Wants US Court To Issue Injunction Against RIM Now
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 1001ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
update:DJ Ericsson Files Lawsuit Against Samsung Electronics> ERICY
STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Swedish telecommunications equipment manufacturer Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) Friday said it has filed a lawsuit in four countries against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. (005930.SE).
The move follows the inability of the parties to reach an agreement on royalty payments for the use of patents, an Ericsson spokeswoman.
Sony Ericsson, a joint venture of Ericsson and Sony Corp. (SNE), has joined Ericsson in the lawsuit.
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 0550ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
DJ Ericsson Files Lawsuit Against Samsung Electronics -2-
Ericsson's agreement with Samsung over royalty payments expired at the end of 2005.
"We have negotiated but have not been able to reach a new agreement...we regret we have had to take this step," said Ericsson spokeswoman Aase Lindskog.
Lindskog said Ericsson has patents essential for Samsung, but Samsung's patents aren't essential for Ericsson.
"We have invested significant amounts in research and development and want to get a return on those investments," Lindskog added.
The patents under dispute concern Global System for Mobile communications, or GSM, General Packet Radio Service, or GPRS, and Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution, or EDGE. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S., the U.K., Germany and the Netherlands.
Lindskog wouldn't provide any details on the amounts demanded by Ericsson and wouldn't speculate on when the dispute might be resolved.
-By Magnus Hansson, Dow Jones Newswires; +46 8 545 130 91; magnus.hansson@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-24-06 0606ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ New Microsoft Case Avoids Mobile-Phone-Svc Mkt - Sources
By William Echikson
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--The new antitrust front opened this week against Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) steers clear of making charges the U.S. software company is leveraging its domination of the market for desktop computer operating systems to corner markets for e-mail and instant messages to mobile phones, said two people close to the case.
The European Committee for Interoperable Systems, whose members include International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Oracle Corp. (ORCL), said Wednesday it had "filed a complaint with the European Commission against a range of Microsoft business practices that threaten to deny enterprises and individual consumers real choice among competing software products."
It said it wanted to stop Microsoft from bundling new products that would "reinforce Microsoft's existing monopolies and extend its market dominance into a range of existing and pre-announced future product areas." It cited Microsoft's "dominant Office productivity applications."
In an interview, the group's lawyer, Thomas Vinje, said the complaint "addresses a broad range of anticompetitive practices" in most of Microsoft's business areas.
Since the complaint was confidential, he said he could offer few additional details. He couldn't say whether the issue of services to mobile phones was included in the complaint.
But Nokia, at least, has moved to distance itself from the case, people close to the matter said.
"Although Nokia is a member of ECIS, and we support the principles of ECIS, Nokia is not directly present in the markets at issue in this complaint and are therefore not directly impacted by the case," one person said.
The Finnish mobile-phone giant hasn't always been so timid in its battle against Microsoft. Back in 2003, company lawyers attended a closed-door E.U. hearing on Microsoft's business practices and joined with Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW), Oracle and Nokia to bring a case against Microsoft's control of desktop computer operating systems.
In March 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft EUR497 million and ordered the company to change several business practices. The software-maker appealed, but an E.U. court subsequently ruled Microsoft had to comply with the orders until the appeal, scheduled for an April hearing, is decided.
-By William Echikson, Dow Jones Newswires; 32-2-741-1482; william.echikson@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-23-06 0856ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Novatel Wireless Updates EV-DO and HSDPA Embedded Module Development
Programs for North America and Europe; Announces Commercial Availability of
EV-DO and HSDPA Express Mini Card Embedded Modules for Two Major Wireless
Markets
SAN DIEGO, Feb 23, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Nasdaq:NVTL), a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions, today announced an update to its embedded module developments across major Evolution Data Only (EV-DO) and High Speed Data Packet Access (HSDPA) standards, as follows:
Expedite EV620(TM) EV-DO Wireless PCI Express Mini Card
An embedded module for integration into laptops, the PCI Express Mini Card is a form factor specification designed in mobile platforms and is optimized for most laptop systems. The Expedite EV620 provides wireless broadband data access on EV-DO networks at speeds up to 2.4 Mbps, and is designed for easy integration into laptop platforms and other wireless devices. The Expedite EV620 also includes receive diversity on 800 and 1900 MHz band CDMA2000 1xEV-DO and CDMA2000 1X networks, providing reliable connectivity, maximum data throughput and efficient management of device power consumption. The Novatel Wireless Expedite EV620 is backward compatible to CDMA2000 1X for true nationwide data connectivity in the US. With connection speeds comparable to DSL, laptops can quickly and easily stream audio and video files and download data-intensive attachments and multimedia applications anywhere within an EV-DO service area.
Expedite EU730(TM) and Expedite EU740(TM) HSDPA PCI Express Mini Cards
The Expedite EU730 operates on 850 and 1900 MHz UMTS/HSDPA networks in North America, while the Expedite U740 operates on 2100 MHz UMTS/HSDPA networks in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The Expedite EU730 and EU740 enable data speeds up to 1.8 Mbps, and are backward compatible to 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 MHz Enhanced Data Rate for Global Evolution (EDGE), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) networks for wireless data access worldwide. Laptops integrated with the EU730 will be targeted for the North American market, while the EU740 integrated laptops will be available for the European market.
"This achievement is a testament to the quality and diversity of our broadband data solutions," said Peter Leparulo, chief executive officer for Novatel Wireless. "We are currently working with several leading laptop and other mobile computing manufacturers to offer consumers and business professionals the convenience and flexibility of wireless broadband computing from any location."
PCI Express Mini Card is a form factor specification designed in mobile platforms and is optimized for most laptop systems. The PCI Express Mini Card design of the Expedite EV620, the EU730 and EU740 is standard in most notebooks, providing quick and easy integration, and minimizing space on the laptop motherboard. This enables platform manufacturers to reduce integration costs and maintain external slots for other functions.
About Novatel Wireless, Inc.
Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless broadband access solutions. Novatel Wireless' Merlin(TM) PC Cards, Expedite(TM) Embedded Modems, Freedom Box(TM) Ruggedized Modems, MobiLink(TM) Communications Software Suite, Ovation(TM) 3G Multimedia Application Consoles and Conversa(TM) Software Suite enable high-speed wireless access to personal, corporate and public information. The company delivers innovative 3G solutions to operators, distributors and vertical markets worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Novatel Wireless is listed on NASDAQ: NVTL. For more information on Novatel Wireless visit www.novatelwireless.com. (nvtlg)
(C) 2006 Novatel Wireless. All rights reserved. The Novatel Wireless logo, Merlin, Merlin V620, Merlin V720, Expedite, Expedite EV620, Expedite EU730, Expedite EU740, Freedom Box, MobiLink, Ovation, and Conversa are trademarks of Novatel Wireless, Inc. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.
This release may contain forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended to date. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. A number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements contained herein. These factors include risks relating to technological changes, new product introductions, continued acceptance of Novatel Wireless' products and dependence on intellectual property rights. These factors, as well as other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, are discussed in more detail in Novatel Wireless' filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (available at www.sec.gov) and other regulatory agencies.
SOURCE: Novatel Wireless, Inc.
CONTACT: For Novatel Wireless, Inc.
Aida Causevic/Andy Oliver, 619-516-2559
nvtl@lewispr.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
-0-
KEYWORD: United States Europe North America CaliforniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Consumer Electronics Hardware Software Telecommunications Other TechnologySUBJECT CODE: Product/Service
WSJ(2/23) Patent Office Deals Blow To NTP In Fight With RIM
(From THE WALL STREET JOURNAL) By Mark Heinzl
The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office rejected another wireless email patent held by NTP Inc., a move announced two days before NTP is slated to ask a federal judge for a shutdown of Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry service in the U.S.
RIM said yesterday that it had received a copy of a "final office action" by the patent office that rejected one of the NTP wireless-email patents involved in the long-running court battle between two companies. Another relevant NTP patent was rejected by the patent office earlier this month, and a final-office-action ruling on an additional relevant NTP patent is expected "soon," RIM said.
"All of the NTP patents have been rejected by the patent office in initial and second office actions," said RIM, based in Waterloo, Ontario, in a statement yesterday.
NTP, Arlington, Va., said any suggestions on RIM's part that NTP's patents "have been invalidated are flatly wrong and intentionally misleading." NTP can appeal the patent-office rulings first through the patent office, and then through the federal court system if necessary, NTP said.
Meanwhile, the RIM-NTP patent-infringement battle is coming to a crucial phase that could result in a court-ordered shutdown of BlackBerry service in the U.S. The two sides tomorrow are scheduled to present arguments on the matter before Judge James R. Spencer of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Richmond, Va.
NTP says it is entitled to an injunction banning U.S. BlackBerry service because the court previously has found the device infringes NTP's patents. RIM, which has 4.3 million BlackBerry subscribers, mostly in the U.S., says an injunction isn't appropriate for various reasons.
NTP counters that it could pursue a lengthy appeal process over the patent office's latest decisions, and the BlackBerry shutdown shouldn't be held up in the meantime. Efforts to reach a settlement in the case haven't been successful. RIM says Judge Spencer should let the patent office's rulings play out before issuing any BlackBerry shutdown.
Some legal experts say the judge already has hinted he might not go along with that argument. Judge Spencer in November said a patent's status can take years to be resolved even after final office actions are issued, according to Robert Redmond, a product-liability and patent lawyer with Williams Mullen in Richmond.
Yesterday in 4 p.m. composite trading, RIM shares fell $1.01, or 1.4%, to $73.14 each on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 1947ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ INTERVIEW: Ericsson Says Time Advantage Helps HSDPA
By Magnus Hansson
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) believes current rollouts of high-speed cellular networks will give it a timing advantage against rival network technologies, a company executive said Wednesday.
Mobile telecom operators around the world, including Europe, are upgrading their third-generation networks using High Speed Downlink Packet Access, or HSDPA, which Ericsson favors. The aim is to provide data rates closer to those achieved by its main rival, which combines Wireless Local Area Networks and fixed broadband Internet connections.
"Our tests show there's no significant underlying cost advantage for either technology...time to market is very important," said Mikael Baeck, head of Ericsson's 3G technology unit, told Dow Jones Newswires.
Companies such as Nokia Corp. (NOK) have said they will introduce mobile phones that work on both WLAN networks and traditional cellular networks, without customers needing to bother about which technology is applied at any one time.
The success of this technology could potentially be a threat to vendors of mobile telecom infrastructure, such as Ericsson.
Baeck said he believes it will take a long time before a large enough share of subscribers have the phones to make the WLAN solution a viable alternative to high-speed cellular networks.
"By then the battle may already be over," he said.
Both WLAN and HSDPA, as well as a third alternative called WiMax, aim to provide mobile telecom subscribers with data rates that allow them to connect to the Internet anywhere in same way they do at home or in the office. Users should also be able to watch television and listen to music with high quality.
Baeck said the HSDPA networks will in theory initially deliver data rates around 1.8 megabits per second. However, in reality speeds are more likely to be around 1.2 to 1.3 megabits per second, comparable a basic version of fixed-line broadband Internet, he said.
For Ericsson, the success of HSDPA is important as both the company and analysts expect it to become a key driver of revenue.
According to Baeck, HSDPA is important to Ericsson not only in the long term, but also in the short run. While HSDPA can be implemented in just a few months, even in large networks and consist of just software, an order generally also generates orders for capacity upgrades, services and gear for other parts of the operators' networks.
"These are significant jobs for us," Baeck said.
HSDPA is an industry standard and is also offered by most of Ericsson's competitors, such as Nokia and Siemens AG (SI). However, Baeck said Ericsson has improved its position in the market over the last year.
"The distance to the competition has increased drastically," Baeck said, suggesting that most announced and commercial launches to date have been on networks supplied by Ericsson.
In Europe, Austrian operator mobilkom - owned by Telekom Austria AG (TKA) was the first to launch commercially high-speed services based on HSDPA. Baeck said many others will soon follow.
For the first time in many years, the equipment for consumers, phones and other terminals, will be available simultaneously with network equipment, he said. Historically, operators have had new services ready long before terminals existed that would allow customers to utilize them.
-By Magnus Hansson, Dow Jones Newswires; +46 8 545 130 91, magnus.hansson@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 1308ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE: Piper Jaffray to Host Third Annual China Internet and Technology Conference in Beijing
Piper Jaffray to Host Third Annual China Internet and Technology Conference in Beijing BEIJING, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Piper Jaffray & Co. is pleased to announce it is holding its third annual China Internet and Technology Conference February 28 - March 2 in Beijing. The conference will focus on opportunities and challenges in the China Internet and technology industry in 2006 and beyond. Growth for Chinese Internet companies has brought both opportunities and challenges in the past year. In particular, these companies are seeing the increasing cost of success, including declining margins as expenses increase due to competition. At the same time, core market demands remain healthy. These topics will be addressed in presentations and panels of management teams of public and private Internet, semiconductor and hardware companies operating in China, as well as presentations from economists, regional and international private equity funds, industry experts and officials from regulatory agencies. Among focus areas to be discussed are the following key themes: increasing broadband penetration in China and its impact for media consumption; the impact of China's economy moving from a manufacturing economy toward a consumer-based one; the expanding value chain of semiconductor manufacturing; wireless value-added services potentially reaching an inflection point and the growth trajectory; the timing of network upgrades to 3G services and impact to wireless handset and infrastructure suppliers; and the potential for search in China. "We look forward to hosting our third annual China Internet and Technology Conference in Beijing this year," said Safa Rashtchy, senior Internet and media marketing analyst at Piper Jaffray & Co. "This is a great forum for technology investors who want exposure in China. Given our focus on the entire Internet and technology supply chain, investors will have the opportunity to explore multiple areas. This year, we will also introduce new and developing areas of interest, such as music and entertainment, 3G wireless, consumer devices, alternative energy and security technology." Companies scheduled to present include: 51job, Inc., 6688.com, Actions Semiconductor Co., Ltd., Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated, Allyes AdNetwork, Analogix Semiconductor Inc., Analysys, ASAT Holdings Limited, Baidu.com, Inc., BaiHe Limited, C2 Capital Corporation, China Interactive, China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology Limited, China Unistone Acquisition Corp., ChipMOS Technologies Ltd., Cirrus Logic, Inc., Comtech Group, Inc, CSMC Technologies Corporation, Ctrip.com International Inc., DangDang.com, eBay Eachnet, eLong, Inc., Ericsson, Focus Media Holding Limited, Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, GSR Ventures, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Hurray! Holding Co. Ltd., Intel Capital, KongZhong Corporation, Linktone Ltd., MagnaChip Semiconductor, Mobile Internet Partners Limited, Motorola, Inc., NetEase.com, Inc., Nokia Corporation, O2Micro International Limited, Pacific Epoch, R2G, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, SHENZHEN POWERCOM Co. Ltd., SiliconCore Technology, SinoMOS Semiconductor (Nigbo), Inc., SmartPay, Softbank Asia Infrastructure Fund (SAIF), Sohu.com Inc., Spreadtrum Communications Inc., STATS ChipPAC Ltd., Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., Supreme Industries, Inc., The9 Limited, TOM Online Inc., Vimicro International Corporation, Walden International, YeePay.com, Yingli Solar, Yucheng Technologies Company and Zhaopin Ltd. Additional companies have also been invited to present. Company and investor participation in the Piper Jaffray China Internet and Technology Conference is by invitation only. Clients interested in attending should contact their Piper Jaffray representative. Members of the media who would like to attend should contact Susan Beatty at 612 303-5680 or susan.l.beatty@pjc.com. Piper Jaffray & Co. is the chief operating subsidiary of Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC), a focused securities firm dedicated to delivering superior financial advice, investment products and transaction execution within selected sectors of the financial services marketplace. The company operates through two primary revenue-generating segments: Capital Markets and Private Client Services. Piper Jaffray & Co. has served corporations, government and non-profit entities, institutional investors and the financial advisory needs of private individuals since 1895. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Piper Jaffray has approximately 2,900 employees in 107 offices in 23 states across the country and in London. For more information about Piper Jaffray, visit us online at http://www.piperjaffray.com . Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. SOURCE Piper Jaffray & Co. /CONTACT: Susan Beatty, Media Relations, Piper Jaffray, +1-612-303-5680 /Web site: http://www.piperjaffray.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 1253ET
=DJ Final Rejection of NTP's 451 Patent Mailed By U.S. PTO
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--Just two days before a key hearing in Research In Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) patent dispute with NTP Inc., the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a final rejection of one of the five NTP patents at the center of the closely watched case.
According to the PTO's Web site, it has mailed the final rejection of the 6,067,451 patent. The 451 patent contained two of seven infringement claims that were upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. RIM, maker of the BlackBerry email device, was originally found to have infringed on all 16 claims in the five disputed patents. The Waterloo, Ont. faces a possible injunction on BlackBerry sales and service in the U.S. because of the infringement findings against it. A hearing on the potential ban is scheduled for Friday in Virginia District Court.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.net
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 0919ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Dariejam-Thanks for that site.
DJ NTT DoCo Mo Delays Issue Of First Nokia 3G Phone> NOK
STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Japanese mobile telecommunications operator NTT DoCoMo Inc. (DCM) Wednesday said it has delayed the commercial availability of its first third-generation mobile phone, sourced from Nokia Corp. (NOK), due to quality issues.
NTT DoCoMo said the launch of the 3G FOMA NM850iG was originally scheduled for commercial availability Feb 24.
The company said it was confirming the handset's quality and will launch it as soon as this process is completed.
Nokia said last week it had shipped the first NM850iG phones to NTT DoCoMo.
A Nokia spokesman couldn't be immediately reached for comment.
-By Magnus Hansson, Dow Jones Newswires; +46 8 545 130 91; magnus.hansson@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 0656ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ Nokia-Sanyo JV May Spur Need For More Handset Co Tie-Ups
By Yun-Hee Kim Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
HONG KONG (Dow Jones)--Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Sanyo Electric Co.'s (6764.TO) proposed joint venture in the code division multiple access, or CDMA, cellphone business may not alter significantly the market landscape in the near term but could raise the need for more tie-ups in the future as competition intensifies.
"In the short term, handset mergers nearly always lead to market-share losses as the two parties struggle to mesh together effectively," said Neil Mawston, an analyst at market research firm Strategy Analytics in London. "In the longer term, the outlook for Nokia-Sanyo is encouraging due to an impressive combination of Nokia's brand and distribution, and Sanyo's product and technology expertise."
Last week, Nokia and Sanyo said they plan to form a joint venture to become one of the world's biggest makers of advanced technology phones based on the CDMA wireless standard widely used in the U.S. and Korea. While the CDMA market is smaller in scale compared with the GSM, or global system for mobile communications standard, it accounts for roughly 20% of overall handsets worldwide, according to industry estimates.
The tie-up of Finland's Nokia, the world's largest maker of handsets by volume and Japan's Sanyo, a relatively smaller global player, is a further sign that the competitive cellphone market is forcing players to look for partners to save costs and combine weak businesses to strengthen operations. Analysts say as competition continues to intensify, mergers or tie-ups may be the only option for some cellphone operators struggling to maintain decent profit margins.
"Where Nokia leads, the rest follow, so this CDMA merger will prompt other megavendors to reconsider their options for growth by acquisition in the next 12 to 24 months," said Mawston.
Mawston said assuming that Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. (005930.SE) and LG Electronics Inc. (066570.SE) do not partner up, or merge with other vendors, Nokia and Sanyo's proposed joint venture is likely to be the number one player in the CDMA market by the end of 2007.
"It's clear that Nokia and Sanyo are gunning for the No.1 slot in the CDMA market, and this puts Samsung and LG in a tough position," he said.
In 2005, LG Electronics held the No. 1 spot in the CDMA market with a 20.9% share, followed by Samsung with 18.4% share, according to figures released by Strategy Analytics. Nokia ranked third with 12.9%, and Motorola ranked fourth with 11.8%.
Both Samsung and LG Electronics have said in the past that they aren't interested in a partnership and many analysts say given their strong position in the CDMA market already, the two have little incentive to find a partner.
"Given the cycle of innovation in this industry, Samsung and to a lesser extent LG currently have little incentive to drive up dynamic transaction costs by working with other players," Nick Ingelbrecht, an analyst at market research firm Gartner said.
Nokia and Sanyo's announcement already follows a string of mergers in the handset industry. China's TCL Corp. (000100.SZ) and Alcatel SA (ALA) merged in 2004, and Taiwan's BenQ Corp. (2352.TW) took over the mobile phone business of Germany's Siemens AG (SI) late last year after the business had lost significant market share. Also in 2005, Korea's Pantech & Curitel Communications Inc. (063350.SE) acquired a majority stake in the handset manufacturing business of wireless operator SK Telecom Co., (SKM) SK Teletech Co., while Motorola Inc. (MOT) bought the research and development team of U.K. mobile phone maker Sendo when it closed down.
"Companies will have to find a way to survive in the cutthroat industry where margins are increasingly becoming thin," said Kevin Lee, an analyst at Woori Investment & Securities in Seoul. "With a saturated market, a joint venture or merger makes sense."
Second-Tier Makers To Benefit From Tie-ups
According to Mawston, companies that may be vulnerable to a merger or acquisition in the near term include Japan's NEC Corp. (6701.TO) and Kyocera Corp. (6971.TO), which are both struggling in their mobile phone business due to stiff competition and pricing pressures.
But Masumi Sakurai, a spokeswoman for Kyocera, said the company has no concrete plans for a merger or a new relationship with other companies.
At NEC, "there is no specific talks going on," spokeswoman Diane Foley said. "But NEC is always looking into any kind of possible alliance," she said, declining to comment further.
Companies that may be on the look out for acquisitions may include U.S.-based Motorola with its hefty net cash balance of $10.5 billion, said Mawston. China's Huawei Technologies Co. (HWI.YY) and Ningbo Bird Co. (600130.SH) are also players "ambitiously on the look out to expand their operations," he said.
Officials at Motorola, Huawei and Ningbo Bird couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Gartner's Ingelbrecht said any tier-two cellphone makers such as Ningbo, could benefit from a merger or a tie-up.
Companies are "looking for opportunities and some alliances will deliver market access and some will deliver technology benefits like intellectual property," he said.
In the case of the latest tie-up, "Nokia is using this agreement to shore up its position in the CDMA (market) which has been a big weakness in its global strategy but without making a huge investment in R&D (research and development.) Sanyo is struggling internationally and Nokia will help Sanyo sustain its existence in the handset business," he said.
Richard Windsor, a communications equipment analyst at Nomura in London, said while the Nokia and Sanyo joint venture will take time to make any big impact on the overall global cellphone market, it will be beneficial for both companies in the long run, and smaller vendors in Taiwan and China may need to follow suit.
"It's a big advantage," he said. "Many of the small vendors that aren't making money might also benefit by seeking a joint venture."
-By Yun-Hee Kim, Dow Jones Newswires; 852-2832-2330; yun-hee.kim@dowjones.com
-Edited by Jenny Paris
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-22-06 0353ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ Judge Denies U.S. Govt Request For BlackBerry Evidentiary Hearing
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--A Virginia District Court judge will allow the U.S. government to appear at a key hearing in the Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM)-NTP Inc. patent dispute, but denied the government's request for an evidentiary hearing.
The decision comes ahead of a key hearing Friday at which Judge James Spencer will hear arguments for and against a BlackBerry ban in the U.S. The decision is favorable for NTP, as it suggests that Judge Spencer believes RIM is capable of designing a feasible solution to maintain government service should a ban be ordered, according to a lawyer who has followed the case. "It's good for NTP, not so good for RIMM," Lance Johnson, lawyer at Roylance, Abram, Berdo & Goodman told Dow Jones. Johnson isn't involved in the case.
RIM faces the potential ban due to a previous infringement finding against it in its long-running patent dispute with NTP. The government would be exempt from a ban if one is ordered. However, in several recent court filings, the U.S. Department of Justice has expressed concerns that its BlackBerry service could be disrupted if a ban is ordered. It said in the filings that NTP should be required to submit a plan on how a ban would be implemented, and it asked for a period of discovery and evidentiary hearing to evaluate that plan.
These requests were the ones denied Tuesday.
Johnson said he believes the government will appeal the decision to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. "You can bet the government will appeal that decision if they have concerns that their interests in getting a functional system at the end of this process are not well-represented," he said.
Johnson added that he was surprised by Spencer's order, noting that, typically, district-court judges faced with this sort of issue are fairly deferential to this sort of government request. "It may signal a strong desire by Judge Spencer not to tolerate any further delays," he said.
On Nasdaq Tuesday, RIM is up $2.01, or 2.8%, to $74.24 on about 4.5 million shares.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.net -Stuart Weinberg, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2026; stuart.weinberg@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-21-06 1326ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Bouygues Telecom And RIM Launch The EDGE-Enabled BlackBerry 8700g In
France
PARIS, FRANCE and WATERLOO, ONTARIO, Feb 21, 2006 (CCNMatthews via COMTEX) -- Bouygues Telecom and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced availability of the BlackBerry(R) 8700g(TM) in France.
The BlackBerry 8700g features a completely re-engineered device platform that combines with Bouygues Telecom's nationwide high-speed EDGE network to enable faster web browsing, application performance and attachment viewing.
The BlackBerry 8700g is a quad-band device, compatible with GSM, GPRS and EDGE networks. It is equipped with a powerful Intel(R) PXA901 processor and incorporates the latest technological advances in wireless communications, offering exceptional performance in a sleek design. It also features 64 MB of flash memory and 16 MB of SDRAM, providing users with increased application and data storage capacity.
"The BlackBerry 8700g is an innovative mobile communications device that will enable our customers to experience the benefits of EDGE technology with enhanced performance," said Jean Rene Cazeneuve, Directeur Marketing et Strategie Entreprise, Bouygues Telecom. "We are delighted to add the BlackBerry 8700g to Bouygues' portfolio of BlackBerry devices, allowing our customers to be connected and productive while on the go."
"We are very pleased to work with Bouygues Telecom to introduce the BlackBerry 8700g in France," said Mark Guibert, Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Research In Motion. "The new BlackBerry 8700g is engineered to provide the ultimate balance of performance, design and function. Utilizing Bouygues Telecom's high-speed EDGE network, the BlackBerry 8700g provides a compelling offering for mobile professionals who want integrated access to voice, email and data applications in a light and stylish device."
BlackBerry 8700g features include:
- High resolution landscape QVGA (320 x 240) LCD screen that supports more than 65,000 colors and uses active matrix transmissive technology to deliver vivid graphics
- Intelligent light auto-sensing technology that automatically adjusts the brightness of the LCD and the keyboard to optimize visibility in outdoor, indoor and dark environments
- A powerful Intel(R) processor, 64 MB flash memory and 16 MB SDRAM
- Dedicated "send," "end" and "mute" phone keys that makes placing calls with one hand fast and simple
- Intuitive call management features, such as smart dialing, conference calling, speed dial and call forwarding
- Built-in speakerphone and Bluetooth(R) support for wireless use with headsets and car kits
- Quad-band and EDGE network support for nationwide and international connectivity
- AZERTY keyboard (back-lit)
- Up to 16 days stand-by and 4 hours talk time
For corporate customers, Bouygues Telecom offers BlackBerry Enterprise Server(TM) software that tightly integrates with Microsoft(R) Exchange, IBM Lotus(R) Domino(TM) and Novell GroupWise(R) and works with existing enterprise systems to enable secure, push-based wireless access to email and other corporate data.
For individuals and smaller businesses, BlackBerry Internet Service(TM) allows users to access up to ten corporate and/or personal email accounts (including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and most popular ISP email accounts) from a single device.
About Research In Motion (RIM)
Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM's portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry(R) wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld(TM) product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.
About Bouygues Telecom
Our ambition is to become the 'preferred brand of mobile communication services' to welcome and always better serve our 7.8 million clients. First to introduce the service plan in France in 1996, Bouygues Telecom launched i-mode(TM) services in November 2002. To this date 1.4 million clients have access, thanks to this pocket internet to over 350 sites and exchange emails with messaging systems around the world. The EDGE network by Bouygues Telecom covers over 90% of the French population. After the launch for our Enterprise customers and professionals, Bouygues Telecom commercialized broadband(TM) i-mode services in October 2005.
Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used herein, words such as "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information available to Research In Motion Limited. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements include, without limitation, possible product defects and product liability, risks related to international sales and potential foreign currency exchange fluctuations, the initiation or outcome of litigation, acts or potential acts of terrorism, international conflicts, significant fluctuations of quarterly operating results, changes in Canadian and foreign laws and regulations, continued acceptance of RIM's products, increased levels of competition, technological changes and the successful development of new products, dependence on third-party networks to provide services, dependence on intellectual property rights and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in RIM's periodic reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and other regulatory authorities. The Company has no intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no liability and makes no representation, warranty or guarantee in relation to third party products.
SOURCE: Research In Motion
CONTACT: Media Contact: Marisa Conway Brodeur (for RIM) +1 (212) 771-3639 mconway@brodeur.com Investor Contact: RIM Investor Relations +1 (519) 888-7465 investor_relations@rim.com
Copyright (C) 2006 CCNMatthews. All rights reserved.
-0-
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Communications TechnologySUBJECT CODE: NEW PRODUCTS/SERVICES
OT:DJ MARKET TALK: Our Last Dose Of Official Greenspanspeak
Edited by Paul Vigna Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (call: 201-938-5172; e-mail: paul.vigna@dowjones.com) MARKET TALK can be found using N/DJMT
1:55 (Dow Jones) The Fed meeting minutes are due up shortly and it will be interesting to see what they say and how the market receives them. After all, the minutes represent the proceeds of Greenspan's last meeting, and as such, they may be a look back, and not have much to say about the Bernanke era Fed. And in any case, Bernanke told Congress he was upbeat on the outlook and that more rate hikes do indeed lie ahead. (MSD)
DJ MARKET TALK: End May Be In Sight For Rate Hikes
Edited by Paul Vigna Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (call: 201-938-5172; e-mail: paul.vigna@dowjones.com) MARKET TALK can be found using N/DJMT
2:04 (Dow Jones) The Fed's meeting minutes signal that at the end of January, policy makers' appetite for rate hikes was clearly winding down, with committee members saying the funds rate "seemed close to where it needed to be." But they were a little worried about inflation, and seemed to agree rates would need to rise again, although they offered little guidance about the amount of tightening needed. (MSD)
DJ MARKET TALK: FOMC Minutes Don't Have Much Effect On Stocks
Edited by Paul Vigna Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (call: 201-938-5172; e-mail: paul.vigna@dowjones.com) MARKET TALK can be found using N/DJMT
2:12 (Dow Jones) Stocks are pretty much where they were before the FOMC minutes were released. DJIA down 41 at 11075, Nasdaq Composite down 22 at 2259, S&P 500 down 3 at 1283. (PJV)
Panasonic Begins Delivery of FOMA(R) P901iTV Handsets to NTT DoCoMo -
First Mobile Handset to Receive Terrestrial Digital Broadcasting Signals
Tokyo, Japan, Feb 21, 2006 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- Panasonic Mobile Communications., Ltd. today announced it has begun shipment of "FOMA(R) P901iTV" mobile handsets to NTT DoCoMo, Inc. The P901iTV is NTT DoCoMo's first mobile handset to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting signals in addition to conventional analog signals. The handset was created in response to the planned launch of mobile digital broadcasting in April 2006.
The handset's main display is a 2.5-inch and beautiful wide-view LCD screen. Approximately 3 hours of continuous digital TV viewing is possible. The P901iTV allows users to enjoy services that blend mobile communications and broadcastings. For instance, when you are watching the TV program, you can go to websites related to its TV program simply by clicking the URL shown on the display during the broadcasting.
The P901iTV focused on user-friendly features which customers value the most. By turning the highly flexible antenna towards the right angle, users can enjoy watching TV programs. No need for you to move the handset for right direction. In addition, you can instantly start watching TV by either pressing a TV button or only turning the handset head towards the 90 degree angle. It can also let you watch TV both vertical and horizontal angles. Depending on the handset angles, the P901iTV display screen automatically rearrange its direction, from right to left or top to bottom, to best fit for the viewing. Another feature is you can immediately change the TV channel by simply pressing the channel number. With this function, you don't waste your time forwarding channel button repeatedly until you get the right channel.
Major specifications:
Size (H x W x T) Approx. 110 x 51 x 27mm Weight Approx. 150 grams Continuous call time Voice call Approx. 140 minutes TV phone Approx. 100 minutes Continuous standby time Static Approx. 460 hours In motion Approx. 350 hours Continuous viewing time Digital broadcasting Approx. 3 hours Analog broadcasting 1 hour Main display Approx. 2.5 inches QVGA (240 dots x 320 dots) 262,144-color TFT LCD Sub display Approx. 0.9 inch (96 dots x 24 dots) Monochrome STN LCD Cameras Outer vMaicovicon(R) cameraEffective resolution 2.01 mega pixelsInner CMOS cameraEffective resolution 110,000 pixels Color Black and White
"FOMA"is registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan.
"vMaicovicon" is registered trademark of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. in Japan.
About Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd.
Panasonic Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (PMC), based in Yokohama, Japan, is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of mobile communications products. As one of the main business domains for Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand digital electronics, PMC has been developing cutting edge technologies since its establishment in 1958, including the world's first 3G video handset for the Japanese market in 2001. PMC is committed in providing added-value solutions to end-users through its mobile communication products.
Contact:
Panasonic Mobile CommunicationsJunji KanegawaPublic Relations TeamCommunication GroupTel: +81-45-939-6455 Fax: +81- 45-939-6497
Copyright (C) 2006 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network K.K.
-0-
All- A Piper Jaffray Report. Thanks Dave and Jim
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Technology
Monthly Channel Checks: Mixed Results For New
MOT Phones
KEY POINTS:
• Our monthly channel checks suggest January domestic handset sales tracked in
line with most store managers' expectations of a seasonally slower January
following the holiday rush. We noted T-Mobile may have experienced a slightly
weaker January in part due to competitors launching newer handsets.
• According to our checks, Motorola's GSM phones continued strong sell-through
trends, with early indications of strong demand for the new SLVR phone at
Cingular. In fact, more than half of stores we contacted indicated they were sold
out of their initial limited inventory (usually 5 phones per store). We also noted
the RAZR and V557 were top selling products at Cingular, and the V360 and
Pink RAZR were top-selling products at T-Mobile. However, our checks
indicated the much-anticipated PEBL was off to a very slow start at T-Mobile
stores, as the higher price ($299) and overall design of phone was not nearly as
popular as the RAZR with T-Mobile consumers.
• For Motorola's CDMA sales, the E815 EV-DO handset was still one of the
stronger selling phones at Verizon, but we were somewhat surprised the RAZR
was not selling as strong as expected. Some store managers indicated battery life
and inability to remove the memory card as reasons for not recommending the
phone.
• We were also surprised by ramping sales by Samsung products at Verizon with
their 950 and 850 handsets selling well, and the A900 ("BLADE") handset was
the best selling handset at Sprint Nextel for the second straight month according
to our checks.
• Our January checks indicated Nokia's North American market share continued to
improve due to solid traction of the Nokia 6101 at T-Mobile and 6102 at Cingular
in the mid-tier segment. While Nokia lacked competitive high end products, we
expect further product launches over the next several months, including the
higher ASP N70 and E61, should enable Nokia to build on the success of 6100
series. In part due to several Cingular stores having limited supply of RAZR
products in early January, we believe this enabled Nokia to gain share during
January.
• We were also encouraged by both Samsung and Sony Ericsson's progress at
carriers. Our checks indicated Samsung's T309 and higher end T809 were both
selling well for high-end phones at T-Mobile, the 850/950 selling well at Verizon,
and the A900 selling well at Sprint. Cingular channels indicated strong demand
for Sony Ericsson's W600i "Walkman" phone along with the mid-tier Z520.
• We believe CDMA handset sell-through trends were in line during January, with
Verizon Wireless stores noting in-line sell through trends of EV-DO handsets
from Samsung, Motorola and LG. We believe Sprint continues to ramp EV-DO
handset sales due to strong demand for Samsung's A900 ("BLADE") phone. As
the US market transition to EV-DO continues to gain momentum, we believe this
mix shift will positively impact QUALCOMM's chipset and royalty ASPs.
RISKS
Continued global subscriber growth, strong replacement sales, the timing of
WCDMA network launches, and healthy replacement sales of handsets are key
variables behind the price targets of our covered companies. If growth rates are
slower than our expectations then the shares may not reach our price targets.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
T. Michael Walkley, Sr Research Analyst
612 303-6459, t.michael.walkley@pjc.com
Amit Kapur, Sr. Research Analyst
212 284-9303, amit.a.kapur@pjc.com
Quan Zhang, Research Analyst
612 303-6476, quan.g.zhang@pjc.com
Piper Jaffray & Co.
Reason for Report:
Industry Overview
Related Companies: Share Price:
ANAD 6.74
ANDW 13.30
ANEN 17.18
ERICY 35.45
IDCC 25.24
MOT 21.17
NOK 18.15
OPWV 20.53
PWAV 14.09
QCOM 46.08
RFMD 7.28
RIMM 70.69
SMDI 7.45
SWIR 12.74
SWKS 5.18
TQNT 4.65
TRMB 38.72
Page 2 of 8
Normal Slower January, Mixed Results for Key New Motorola Products
Our monthly channel checks suggest January domestic handset sales tracked in line with most store managers' expectations of a
seasonally slower January following the holiday rush. We noted T-Mobile may have experienced a slightly weaker January in part due
to competitors launching newer handsets.
Overall, we believe Nokia continued to gain share during January due to strong sales of its 6100 products at T-Mobile and Cingular.
As we noted in our January 6 note entitled, "Monthly Channel Checks: Strong Finish to Holiday Season," many Cingular stores
were sold out of RAZR products in early January. As such, we believe Nokia took advantage of this and continued to gain share in
North America during January.
Our checks also indicated improving trends for Samsung and Sony Ericsson during January. Our checks indicated Samsung's T309
and higher end T809 were both selling well for high-end phones at T-Mobile, the 850/950 selling well at Verizon, and the A900
selling well at Sprint. Cingular channels indicated strong demand for Sony Ericsson's W600i "Walkman" phone along with the
mid-tier Z520. While Motorola may have lost some market share during January, we believe the ramp of the SLVR product will lead
to Motorola regaining share during the remainder of the quarter at Cingular.
Motorola (MOT-MP): Strong Initial SLVR Sales: Slow Initial PEBL Sales
For Motorola, our checks indicated mixed results for its important new products. Our checks indicated strong demand for Motorola's
SLVR at many Cingular stores. In fact, about half of stores we called indicated they immediately sold out their initial limited inventory
of SLVR, although most stores only received about 5 phones in initial shipments. With a compelling price of $199 combined with its
strong design, we believe the SLVR will post strong sales during 1H06 in North America. We note the SLVR was not available in
many markets, but we expect its shipments to ramp during the next couple months.
While we were encouraged by Motorola's early strong sales indications of the SLVR with Cingular customers, we were disappointed
that PEBL sales at T-Mobile were relatively slow. In fact, many of the stores we contacted were having trouble selling the PEBL, as
several stores indicated they had sold none to one of the original 15 PEBL's received. Also, the PEBL has been available on-line for
roughly one month, and feedback from T-Mobile representatives indicated slow sales for this new Motorola product. While the PEBL
just launched and the marketing campaign is just starting, we believe the $299 price may prove too high for consumers when
comparing the PEBL to RAZR and SLVR products. We continue to believe SLVR is a much more important product than PEBL, and
we believe the strong SLVR start offsets the weak PEBL start in North America.
According to our checks, Motorola's GSM phones continued strong sell-through trends, even though Cingular had some limited supply
during the first few weeks of January. Our checks indicated continued strong demand from the RAZR and V557 at Cingular, and the
Pink RAZR and V360 at T-Mobile. For Motorola's CDMA sales, the E815 EV-DO handset was still one of strong selling phones at
Verizon. However, we were surprised our channel checks indicated Motorola's EV-DO RAZR was not selling as strong as expected
with several store managers not recommending the phone due to battery life concerns and limited memory. Even with a new pink
RAZR at Verizon, we were surprised several Verizon store managers were emphasizing the Samsung 950 and 850 handsets more than
the RAZR products. Samsung's CDMA success was also clear at Sprint with the A900 ("BLADE") handset gaining strong sell-through
momentum.
With the competition for thin form-factor handsets increasing, competition for North American market share appears more heated in
early 2006. We remain cautious pricing pressure may impact Motorola's RAZR platform during 2006, although we still believe
Motorola remains well-positioned to maintain its strong North American market share in the near term due to our expectation of
near-term strong sell through trends of SLVR and new product launches such as the Q-Phone and the ROKR E2.
Nokia (NOK-OP): Sales of 6101 and 6102 Handsets Remain Solid
Overall, we believe Nokia continued to gain share during January due to strong sales of its 6100 products at T-Mobile and Cingular.
As we noted in our January 6 note entitled, "Monthly Channel Checks: Strong Finish to Holiday Season," many Cingular stores
were sold out of RAZR products in early January. As such, we believe Nokia took advantage of this and continued to gain share in
North America during the month of January.
While our checks indicated Nokia's North American market share remained solid in the mid-tier segment due to solid sales of the
Nokia 6101 at T-Mobile and 6102 at Cingular, we believe Nokia still needs a stronger higher end product offering for the North
American market. Though its high-end 6682 phone continues to capture limited sales at Cingular, we believe Nokia has to come up
with more competitive higher end products to build on the success of the 6100 series clam-shaped phones at Cingular and T-Mobile.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
Page 3 of 8
We expect additional product launches over the next several months, including higher ASP N-Series and E-Series phones, which
should improve Nokia's higher end product offering.
QUALCOMM (QCOM-OP): EV-DO Transition Remains Evident
We believe CDMA handset sell-through trends were basically in line with January seasonality. Verizon Wireless stores noted strong
sales of EV-DO handsets such as the Samsung 950/850, LG VX8100, and Motorola CDMA RAZR. Sprint stores indicated strong
sales of Samsung's EV-DO A900 "BLADE" phone, as Sprint continues to ramp its mix of EV-DO phones. We remain encouraged by
enthusiasm over Verizon's EV-DO "V CAST" service, as well as greater variety of handsets available at Sprint Nextel. With the solid
sales of the Motorola RAZR, E815, the LG VX8100, and the Samsung 950/850 at Verizon Wireless and Samsung's A900 at Sprint
Nextel, we believe EV-DO phone sell-through trends continue accelerating in North America.
Strong Initial SLVR Sell Through and Solid V.557/V.360 Sales Support RFMD's (RFMD-OP) Polaris Sell-Through
We were encouraged by solid sell-through of several Polaris design wins such as the Motorola V.557, V.360, and SLVR that should
support near-term trends for RFMD. We were particularly encouraged by signs of lean channel inventory for the Motorola SLVR at
Cingular. Over half of the stores contacted indicated they had already sold out of their initial shipments, quantities of which we believe
were limited. We believe this bodes well for Polaris unit demand as Motorola accelerates shipments of the SLVR to retail channels. As
well, we believe Nokia's solid traction in North America in January should support RFMD's near-term trends. We were disappointed
our checks did not indicate better sales of the Motorola PEBL at T-Mobile. In fact, the PEBL was not mentioned as a top-selling
phone, we believe due to the form factor and prior success of the Pink RAZR potentially cannibalizing the PEBL's target market.
While we will closely monitor sales of the PEBL in coming months, we believe sales of other Polaris design wins, particularly the
SLVR, will be more than enough to offset any weakness in component shipments to the PEBL.
Several Skyworks (SWKS-OP) Design Wins Remain Strong
Sell-through of several Skyworks design wins, including the GSM version of Motorola's RAZR, as well as the Motorola E815,
remained solid. We were a bit surprised the CDMA version of the RAZR did not perform better at Verizon Wireless, although we do
not believe this weakness is enough to offset strong underlying demand for Skyworks other design wins such as the GSM version of
the RAZR and Sony Ericsson "Walkman" phones. According to our checks, the RAZR remained a top selling phone at Cingular and
T-Mobile and we believe sales should remain strong over the next few months due to further planned price cuts. As well, we believe
the Motorola E815 remained a top-selling phone at Verizon Wireless. With growing price competition between Cingular, T-Mobile,
and Verizon Wireless for RAZR customers, we believe near-term shipments of RAZR handsets could remain strong and thus provide
support for Skyworks' near-term trends.
Research in Motion (RIMM-MP): 8700 Series Devices Drive Replacement Sales
Our checks suggest the Blackberry 8700 series devices maintained its solid traction in the enterprise device market during the month
of January, as BlackBerry subscribers upgraded to this new product at Cingular. However we noted the introduction of Palm Windows
Mobile based Treo700w at Verizon led to a share shift at Verizon stores from BlackBerry sales to Palm sales. We continue to believe
RIM will post strong February quarter device sales due to the launch of the 8700 at Cingular. However, our checks indicate this is
more of a customer upgrade sale than a driver of new subscribers
We remain cautious the launch of the 8700 will act more as a hardware upgrade for existing BlackBerry subscribers, rather than a
significant expansion of BlackBerry's addressable market. Also, with the ongoing threat of an injunction (ruling is expect to come out
in late February.) combined with increasing competitive offerings, we believe potential BlackBerry subscribers may further delay
deployments or switch to alternative solutions if NTP-related uncertainty continues. With our belief compelling new devices from
competitors such as the Palm Treo 700w and Nokia E61 will pressure ASP and margins of RIM's handset business, we remain
cautious longer term on RIM. However, we believe strong near-term sales of 8700c bode well for RIM's February quarter.
Carrier-Specific Observations
Cingular:
Based on our checks, we believe handset sales at Cingular remained in line during January. Our checks indicated the new introduction
of the Motorola SVLR ($199) stirred strong consumer interest. We also noted once the RAZR ramped back into the channel, it
remained one of Cingular's best-selling phones. Other top-selling phones included the Sony Ericsson W600i ($199) and Z520
($39.99), the Nokia 6102 ($29.99), and the Motorola V.557 ($49.99). We believe Cingular now has adequate supply of RAZR
products. In fact, several store managers indicated a further price reduction of RAZR back to the $99 promotion is expected in the next
few weeks. Overall, Cingular store managers indicated sales were in line with expectations during January.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
Page 4 of 8
Sprint Nextel:
Our checks indicated January sales at Sprint generally met internal plans. Our checks indicated the Samsung A900 "BLADE" ($200)
was the top selling phone, followed closely by the Sanyo 8300 ($79) and the Samsung A920 ($50). We were encouraged by the strong
performance of Samsung's A900 thin form-factor handset, as we believe it will help stimulate customer interest in Sprint's handset
portfolio. As further EV-DO product launches follow the A900, we expect Sprint's mix of EV-DO products to increase over the next
several months.
T-Mobile:
Based upon our checks at T-Mobile, we believe handset sales for the month of January were a bit slower than store manager
expectations due in part to lack of new attractive handsets. Our checks indicated slow sales of PEBL, which was T-Mobile's primary
new handset in 2006. Our checks indicated the Motorola RAZR phone was still among the best-selling phones, along with the
Samsung T309 ($79) and T809 ($299), the Nokia 6101 ($149), and the Motorola V.360 ($125-199).
Verizon Wireless:
Our checks at Verizon indicated handset sales for the month of January were basically in line with store manager's expectations. We
were a bit surprised that the much-anticipated EV-DO RAZR ($199) was not the top selling phone at Verizon during the month, as the
LG VX8100 ($149) and Samsung 950/850 ($99/$39) were more often mentioned as top selling phones. We believe Verizon continues
efforts to improve its handset product portfolio, particularly its variety of EV-DO handsets, and we expect further compelling handset
launches over the next few months that will stimulate demand for EV-DO devices and services. With the solid sales of the Motorola
RAZR and E815, the LG VX8100, and the Samsung 950/850, we believe EV-DO phone sell-through trends continue accelerating in
North America.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
Page 5 of 8
Piper Jaffray
Retail Direct Store Channel Checks
Appendix A
Sales Change MoM: Apr-May/05 June/05 July/05 Aug/05 Sept/05 Oct/05 Nov/05 Dec/05 Jan/06
AT&T (merged with Cingular)
Cingular slight up flat flat slight up slight up flat up up slight down
Sprint PCS slight up flat flat flat flat flat slight up up down
Verizon slight up flat flat slight down slight up slight up slight up up down
T-Mobile slight up flat flat flat flat flat slight up up down
Most Popular Handsets
Sprint PCS Sanyo 8200,
Sanyo 200
Sanyo 8200,
Samsung
A740, Sanyo
7400
Sanyo 8300,
Samsung
A740
LG PM-225,
Samsung
A740
Sanyo 8300,
Samsung
A880
Sanyo 8300,
Samsung
A840
Sanyo 8300,
LG PM-225,
Samsung
A840
Samsung
“Blade”, LG
PM-225,
Samsung
A840
Samsung
“Blade”,
Samsung
A920/940,
Sanyo 8300
Verizon Samsung
A670, LG
VX6100,
MOT V.710
Samsung
A670, MOT
V.710, LG
VX6100
MOT E815,
LG VX8100,
MOT V.710
MOT E815,
LG VX8100
LG VX8100,
MOT E815
LG VX8100,
MOT E815
MOT E815,
LG VX8100,
Samsung
950
LG VX8100,
MOT RAZR,
MOT E815
LG 8100,
MOT RAZR,
MOT E815,
Samsung
950
T-Mobile Samsung
x475,
Samsung
e315, MOT
V.188, MOT
V.330
MOT V.330,
Samsung
X475
MOT RAZR,
NOK 3220
MOT RAZR,
NOK V.330
MOT RAZR,
NOK 6101
MOT RAZR,
MOT V360,
NOK 6101
MOT RAZR,
Danger
Sidekick II,
MOT V360,
Samsung
T309, NOK
6101
MOT RAZR,
Samsung
T309, NOK
6101, MOT
V.360,
Samsung
T809
MOT RAZR,
Samsung
T309, NOK
6101, MOT
V.360,
Samsung
T809
Source: Piper Jaffray
* Handset listed first typically more popular - see details for further color
MOT
RAZR,Sony
Ericsson
W600i, Nokia
6102, MOT
V.557
MOT RAZR,
NOK 6102,
MOT V.551,
Samsung
X497
MOT RAZR,
MOT V.551,
NOK 6230
MOT RAZR,
MOT V.551,
NOK 6230
MOT RAZR,
MOT V551,
NOK 6102
Cingular MOT RAZR,
Sony
Ericsson
W600i, Z520,
Nokia 6102,
MOT V.557
MOT RAZR,
NOK 6230,
MOT V.551
MOT RAZR,
MOT ROKR,
NOK 6102,
MOT V.551
MOT V.551,
MOT RAZR
Page 6 of 8
Important Research Disclosures
Distribution of Ratings/IB Services
Piper Jaffray
IB Serv./Past 12 Mos.
Rating Count Percent Count Percent
BUY [OP]
HOLD [MP]
SELL [UP]
314
280
20
51.14
45.60
3.26
76
33
3
24.20
11.79
15.00
Note: Distribution of Ratings/IB Services shows the number of companies in each rating category from which Piper Jaffray and its affiliates received
compensation for investment banking services within the past 12 months. NASD and NYSE rules require disclosure of which ratings most closely correspond
with "buy," "hold," and "sell" recommendations. Accordingly, Outperform corresponds most closely with buy, Market Perform with hold, and Underperform
with sell. Outperform, Market Perform and Underperform, however, are not the equivalent of buy, hold or sell, but instead represent indications of relative
performance. See Rating Definitions below. An investor's decision to buy or sell a security must depend on individual circumstances.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
Page 7 of 8
Important Research Disclosures
Analyst Certification — T. Michael Walkley, Sr Research Analyst
Analyst Certification — Amit Kapur, Sr. Research Analyst
The views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject company and the subject security. In addition, no part of my
compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views contained in this report.
Affiliate Disclosures: This report has been prepared by Piper Jaffray & Co. or its affiliate Piper Jaffray Ltd., both of which are subsidiaries of
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Investment Opinion: Investment opinions are based on each stock's return potential relative to broader market indices, not on an absolute
return. The relevant market indices are the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 for U.S. Companies and the FTSE Techmark Mediscience index for
European companies.
• Outperform (OP): Expected to outperform the relevant broader market index over the next 12 months.
• Market Perform (MP): Expected to perform in line with the relevant broader market index over the next 12 months.
• Underperform (UP): Expected to underperform the relevant broader market index over the next 12 months.
• Suspended (SUS): No active analyst opinion or no active analyst coverage; however, an analyst investment opinion or analyst coverage
is expected to resume.
• Volatility Rating: Our focus on growth companies implies that the stocks we recommend are typically more volatile than the overall stock
market. We are not recommending the "suitability" of a particular stock for an individual investor. Rather, it identifies the volatility of a
particular stock.
• Low: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 10% in a month in fewer than 8 of the past 24 months.
• Medium: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 20% in a month in fewer than 8 of the past 24 months.
• High: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 20% in a month in at least 8 of the past 24 months. All IPO stocks
automatically get this volatility rating for the first 12 months of trading.
Industry Note
February 6, 2006
Page 8 of 8
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Industry Note
February 6, 2006
xxx
picoChip: 'picoChip announces agreement with CETECOM to supply WiMAX
solutions into new test equipment'
Feb 21, 2006 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- WiMAX Summit, Paris, France picoChip has announced today that it has signed an agreement to work in partnership with Spanish test laboratory and test systems developer Centro de Tecnologa de las Comunicaciones (CETECOM), which is the WiMAX Forum's sole approved testing laboratory for the certification of WiMAX products. Under the terms of the new contract picoChip will supply CETECOM with its multi-core processor arrays and software that will be incorporated into CETECOM's protocol conformance tester, which is being developed jointly with Aeroflex. This platform will be available in 2006 to allow certification testing of 802.16e devices to start before the end of the year, and will provide both BS and SS test suites and sniffer capabilities.
The CETECOM WiMAX test suite incorporates a test basestation (BS) and mobile station (MS) that are used to simulate a complete link when characterising the BS and SS equipment under test. picoChip's PC102 picoArray and PC8530 software stack will be used in the same way in these test stations as they would be in an operating network, and offer the advantages of rapid reconfigurability using only upgrades to the software.
Commented Joaqun Torrecilla, Chief Technology Officer of CETECOM, "picoChip's wireless solution provides us with a single, very sophisticated and flexible architecture that can be customised for each standard and protocol. We will be able to upscale or upgrade our platform to meet new requirements, or add capability such as support for MIMO, simply by updating the software." Added Doug Pulley, Chief Technical Officer at picoChip, "We are very proud to have been selected by CETECOM, which is one of the most respected bodies in the field of telecoms conformance as witnessed by their status as the the First WiMAX Forum Certification testing lab. Their endorsement of picoChip's technology will enhance our credibility throughout both WiMAX and 3G communities, and should open up some exciting new opportunities for us. We look forward to working with them, and to a mutual exchange of technical expertise." Lindsay Schroth, Senior Analyst, Broadband Access Technologies with the Yankee Group, observed, "There is considerable pent-up demand for advanced services like WiMAX, and one of the key enablers for satisfying this demand is the availability of fully characterized and certified interoperable equipment. picoChip and CETECOM are both companies that are easing WiMAX equipment towards the marketplace. Their coordination will help bring solutions to market for both the operators who are eager to roll out their networks, and the subscribers who are waiting to be connected." +++ends Editor's Note: picoArray is a registered trademark of picoChip. All other trademarks and servicemarks are the property of their respective owners.
About picoChip
picoChip, located in Bath, England, is dedicated to providing innovative, flexible wireless solutions to help equipment makers minimize time-to-market, costs, and system power consumption.
The heart of the company's offering is a scaleable, multi-processor baseband IC that combines the computational density of a dedicated ASIC with the programmability of a traditional high end Digital Signal Processor. This radically reduces both development time and materials cost and enables the strategic goal of the "Software Defined Radio". The company has the most comprehensive reference designs in the industry, with complete, standard-compliant solutions for both UMTS (including HSDPA) and WiMAX (802.16d upgradeable to 802.16e).
www.picochip.com About CETECOM Spain Centro de Tecnologa de las Comunicaciones SA (CETECOM Spain) is a global supplier of testing solutions for wired and wireless technologies (GSM/GPRS, EDGE, W-CDMA, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, RFID, DECT and PSTN). It services portfolio ranges from conformance, regulatory and interoperability testing services to test systems development, world-wide compliance services, training and consulting.
www.cetecom.es About Aeroflex Test Solutions, Wireless Division Aeroflex Wireless offers a full range of protocol, physical layer and parametric test solutions for the cellular communications industry. Its products address infrastructure and mobile handset testing and support all stages of mobile phone and radio access network equipment development and deployment. Applications include R&D, conformance, production, installation and commissioning, field service, and network optimization. Aeroflex's wireless products test all key 2G, 2.5G and 3G wireless technologies including UMTS, cdmaOne, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, GSM, GPRS, and EDGE worldwide.
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