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M3S-I agree, but the line in the sand is getting larger as we speak.
12,500 @ 24.94
21,000+ @ 26.00
we need some more volume, and I think we'll get some in a little while.
If volume picks up....we're going to have some fun.
PRESS RELEASE: TANDBERG Offers the World's First Business Quality Visual Communications Solutions on IPv6; End-to-End Video Fully Operational on NTT Communications' IPv6 Network
OSLO, Norway & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2006--
TANDBERG(R) (OSLO:TAA.OL), a global leader in visual communication, today announced that its products have been tested for compatibility and are now fully operational on NTT Communications' domestic and international IPv6 network. NTT Communications Corporation and TANDBERG tested the compatibility of TANDBERG's visual communication solution and features, including high-definition video, in a range of network environments over a three-way connection between Japan, Norway, and Hong Kong.
"The collaboration between NTT Communications and TANDBERG is a ground-breaking event for the development of IPv6, which will become the de-facto standard in Next Generation Internet (NGI). It is a clear message to the market that a new internet era has arrived," said Yosuke Seki, Director, New Business Development Department, Global Business Division, NTT Communications Corporation. "As a global carrier, we will work with industry experts such as TANDBERG to drive the adoption of IPv6 through providing compelling, value-added solutions such as video conferencing."
Adds Hiroaki Sadata, Director, Service Creation Department, Broadband Business Division, NTT Communications Corporation: "The coming together of ubiquitous computing, IPv6 and TANDBERG's business quality visual communication confirms that NGI is happening now. We will continue to provide a simple and secure network solution and ubiquitous applications with IPv6."
"As the global industry leader, supporting IPv6 has always been on our roadmap," says Hakon Dahle, Chief Technologist, TANDBERG. "And we are proud to partner with NTT Communications to deliver the world's first video over IPv6 implementation. This will enable better security, improved quality of service, enhanced management and configuration of devices, and extend the capability for 3G services."
IPv6 is the next-generation internet protocol (IP) that overcomes the address limitations of today's IP networks. It dramatically increases the number of addresses, security, and communication quality. It is especially effective in minimizing the data transfer delay between networks, which is crucial for applications requiring high-quality network communication, such as video conferencing. By delivering visual communications on IPv6 networks, TANDBERG is enabling organizations to future-proof their long-term investments in communications infrastructure and solutions.
About TANDBERG
TANDBERG is a leading global provider of visual communication products and services. The Company has dual headquarters in New York and Norway. TANDBERG designs, develops and markets systems and software for video, voice and data. The Company provides sales, support and value-added services in more than 90 countries worldwide. TANDBERG is publicly traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker TAA.OL. Please visit www.tandberg.net for more information.
TANDBERG is a registered trademark in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
About NTT Communications Corporation
NTT Communications is a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) Corporation (NYSE: NTT), one of the world's largest telecommunications companies. NTT Com provides high-quality, technologically advanced network management, security and solution services to consumers, corporations and governments on a global basis, with a special focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Its world-class backbone network, combined with the networks of partner companies around the world, offers access to more than 200 countries. NTT Com Group has 34 companies in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and the Americas. For more information, please visit www.ntt.com.
CONTACT: TANDBERG Jean Rosauer, 703-272-2106 jean.rosauer@tandbergusa.com or Ketchum for TANDBERG David Stone, 312-228-6967 david.stone@ketchum.com SOURCE: TANDBERG Copyright Business Wire 2006
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-21-06 0902ET
NEC Achieves International Success of Its Point-to-Point Wireless Access
System; NEC's NLite/PASOLINK Marks 300,000 Systems Sold Globally; Contributing
to the Realization of Its Total Mobile and Broadband Solution
IRVING, Texas, Feb 21, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NEC Corporation announced that its point-to-point wireless access system, "PASOLINK," has sold over 300-thousand systems globally; allowing NEC to take the top position in the market. PASOLINK is marketed as the "NLite(TM)" family (NLite/NLite 155/NLite L(TM)/NLite Lx) in the North American marketplace.
NEC first launched its NLite/PASOLINK product in the mid-1980s, supplying a leading telecom operator in the United Kingdom with its 18GHz PASOLINK system. Since then, business has expanded on a worldwide scale, with most recent activity occurring in response to rapid growth of mobile networks. With this expansion, many operators have deployed NLite/PASOLINK systems to connect radio base stations to facilitate the rapid and simple installation of mobile infrastructure.
Sales of the NLite/PASOLINK systems first exceeded 50,000 units in FY 2000, and 200,000 units in FY2004. By FY2005, sales figures exceeded 300,000 as NEC signed large-scale, long-term contracts with mobile operators in Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
One good example of NEC's success is its strength and reach in the Brazilian market. In December 2005, NEC announced new contracts with leading mobile and fixed network operators, VIVO, CLARO and Embratel; where NEC will supply its fixed point-to-point PDH PASOLINK microwave system, with expectations to supply approximately 3000 hops of PASOLINK to Brazil within a year.
VIVO, the leading CDMA-based mobile operator, and CLARO, the leading GSM-based mobile operator will deploy NEC's PASOLINK systems to further expand its mobile networks. Embratel, a leading fixed network operator with a high presence in network operations for the enterprise market, will deploy NEC's PASOLINK system to respond to the increasing data communications requirements of large corporations.
"Brazil's mobile and fixed network market is currently booming, as proven by the high demand for broadband and mobile communications networks," said Toshiyuki Mineno, senior general manager, Mobile Solutions Operations Unit, NEC Corporation. "We are honored to help reshape the region's mobile and fixed network landscape, and intend to expand the PASOLINK business even more. We see Brazil as a top market; with the mobile subscriber base having nearly doubled over the past three years, and estimations that by the end of 2005, the number of mobile subscribers would reach 90 million, a figure corresponding to 50% of the total Brazilian population."
"We believe the rapid growth of NEC's NLite/PASOLINK business is attributed to NEC's long-standing experience, competence, advanced and high-quality technologies," said Bruce Blain, vice president, Sales at NEC America. "To maintain our leadership position in the global microwave communication systems market, NEC will continue to expand its NLite/PASOLINK business to meet the growing demands of the emerging 3G space, the mobile Internet and the growing IP network market."
NLite/PASOLINK is chiefly designed for telecom carriers' backhaul networks, enterprise solutions and emergency networks. It offers a simple and highly reliable fixed wireless solution. NLite/PASOLINK is a PDH/SONET microwave system, offering a variety of configurations to cover small-to-large capacity requirements. The systems operate at various radio frequency bands ranging from 4 to 52 GHz and a maximum traffic capacity of 2 X 155 Mbps. It is applicable to various solutions such as mobile network infrastructure to connect base stations, business user links, private networks, LAN/WAN interconnection and back up for optical fiber networks. NEC's NLite/PASOLINK systems allow for simple installation, speedy service introduction, and efficient and economical solutions for both day-to-day transmission and emergency situations.
For additional information on NEC America's microwave radio solutions, please contact 888-NEC-WAVE or visit the Web site at www.necwave.com.
About NEC America, Inc.
NEC America, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a leading provider of innovative communications products, solutions and services. NEC America serves all communications industries from carriers, to enterprise, to wireless and is an affiliate of NEC Corporation (Nasdaq:NIPNY), a Global Fortune 500(R) company and one of the leading patent producing enterprises in the world. For more information about NEC America, visit its website at www.necamerica.com.
About NEC Corporation
NEC is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. Ranked as one of the world's top patent-producing companies, NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 140,000 people worldwide and had net sales of approximately $43 billion in the fiscal year ended March 2004. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com.
NLite is a trademark of NEC America, Inc.
SOURCE: NEC America, Inc.
CONTACT: NEC America, Inc., Irving
Linda Hallada, 214-262-3651
lhallada@necam.com
or
Ruder Finn
Chris Foster, 212-715-1691
fosterc@ruderfinn.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
-0-
KEYWORD: United States Brazil China Russia India Europe Asia Pacific North America South America TexasINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Consumer Electronics Hardware Networks Software Telecommunications Other TechnologySUBJECT CODE: Product/Service
AT&T, Cingular Wireless and Yahoo! Launch AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile;
Integrated Service Gives Users Real-Time Access to AT&T Yahoo!(R) Portal,
Communications Services and Customized Content
SAN ANTONIO & SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb 21, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), Cingular Wireless(R) and Yahoo! Inc. (Nasdaq:YHOO) today announced the availability of AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile, the first-of-its-kind integrated service that gives consumers real-time access to their favorite AT&T Yahoo! Internet customized online content, services and community on a wireless phone.
AT&T is now offering the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service on the Nokia 6682 handset from Cingular within the AT&T traditional 13-state service area. The service will also be available in certain Cingular stores in the Austin, Columbus and Los Angeles markets. The service was initially announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in early January and is only now available for consumers to purchase pre-loaded on handsets.
The AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service is the first time that AT&T Yahoo! Internet subscribers will be able to seamlessly access, in a single mobile application, a comprehensive set of their personalized AT&T Yahoo! services, including Mail, Photos, Address Book, Calendar, Messenger and Web, Image and Local search, as well as customized news, weather and sports.
The AT&T Yahoo! communications services are also connected to the built-in e-mail, messaging, address book and calendar applications on the mobile phone, giving consumers one reliable source for the information they find most vital. For example, if a user loses his mobile device, his saved contact information will still be available to him on the Web and easily synched with a new mobile device.
For AT&T, this new application supports an initiative by the company to integrate AT&T services and content across the three screens that many consumers value most today: the PC, the cell phone and the TV. For Yahoo!, this new service is part of a suite of innovative applications designed to extend the reach of Yahoo!'s services beyond the browser.
"We're helping our customers enjoy the digital lifestyle by giving them virtually anywhere, anytime access to their already personalized and customized Web-based communications and entertainment services," said Scott Helbing, chief marketing officer, AT&T Consumer. "We're blurring the lines between the PC and the wireless phone so that consumers can stay in touch, check e-mail, get updates on news and weather -- minute to minute, day by day -- regardless of where they are or what screen they are watching."
"Consumers want to connect to their favorite Web services on their mobile devices, and AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile makes it easy," said Marco Boerries, senior vice president, Connected Life, Yahoo!. "We have created a service unmatched in the mobile marketplace and are excited to give consumers a single way to simply connect to all of their information and content while on the go."
AT&T is selling the cutting-edge Nokia 6682 handset through its sales channels for $199.99 after a $50 Nokia mail-in rebate (does not include sales tax and shipping costs) with a new two-year Cingular service plan. The AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile application is pre-loaded on the handsets at no additional cost. Cingular's standard wireless data usage charges apply, and Cingular Wireless voice service and data plans are sold separately.
In addition to the integration capabilities of the AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile service, the Nokia 6682 handset is loaded with advanced hardware features, such as an internal MP3 player, data storage with removable media and a digital voice recorder.
To learn more about AT&T Yahoo! Go Mobile and to check availability, please visit www.att.com/gomobile or http://go.yahoo.com.
About the New AT&T
AT&T Inc. is one of the world's largest telecommunications holding companies and is the largest in the United States. Operating globally under the AT&T brand, AT&T companies are recognized as the leading worldwide providers of IP-based communications services to business and as leading U.S. providers of high-speed DSL Internet, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising services. AT&T Inc. holds a 60 percent ownership interest in Cingular Wireless, which is the No. 1 U.S. wireless services provider with more than 54 million wireless customers. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and AT&T products and services is available at www.TheNewATT.com.
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(TM) 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/.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is a leading global Internet brand and one of the most trafficked Internet destinations worldwide. Yahoo! seeks to provide online products and services essential to users' lives, and offers a full range of tools and marketing solutions for businesses to connect with Internet users around the world. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
CINGULAR WIRELESS(R) Service: Limited-time offer. Credit approval and new, 2-year service commitment on eligible Cingular calling plan required. Wireless services are provided by Cingular. Coverage not available in all areas. See map at att.com for details. Other conditions and restrictions apply. See contract and rate plan brochure for details. Up to $36 activation fee per line applies. Phones and prices subject to change. Phone Return Policy/Early Termination Fee: None if cancelled in first 30 days; thereafter, $175. Sales tax calculated based on price of unactivated phone.
(C) 2006 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. Subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. provide products and services under the AT&T brand.
For more information and detailed disclaimer information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at www.sbc.com/news_room.
SOURCE: AT&T Inc. and Yahoo!
CONTACT: AT&T Inc.
Sue McCain, 314-982-8664
smccain@attnews.us
or
Yahoo! Inc.
Nicole Leverich, 408-349-5583
nicolelw@yahoo-inc.com
Copyright Business Wire 2006
-0-
KEYWORD: United States North America California TexasINDUSTRY KEYWORD: Technology Consumer Electronics Internet Networks Telecommunications Other TechnologySUBJECT CODE: Contract/Agreement Product/Service
DJ An End To BlackBerry Patent Feud May Finally Be At Hand
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP)--Say what you want about patent infringement suits, but at least the BlackBerry case has drama.
A federal judge, clearly impatient with the long-running case, could issue an injunction soon on U.S. sales and service of the wireless e-mail device.
Most patent suits are dismissed or settled long before they reach this stage. Remarkably, neither BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM.T) nor tiny patent holder NTP Inc. have shown signs of backing down. In effect, they are daring each other to blink first and settle.
Governments, businesses and individual users are growing unnerved by the standoff. Although the odds of an actual shutdown are low, conflicting opinions about the possible outcomes and the spin from both sides have created a confusing picture.
James R. Spencer, a no-nonsense U.S. district judge widely respected in the legal community, now finds himself in the unusual position of weighing an injunction against RIM even as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is expected to finally rescind NTP's patents.
"These patents are ... guaranteed to go in the garbage," James Balsillie, co-chief executive of Canada's RIM, said in December. "At the end of the day, our position is real simple: Let the system work."
Unfortunately for Balsillie, the system does not necessarily work in a timely fashion. Spencer has signaled that he is unwilling to delay his proceedings while awaiting final word from the patent office, which lags far behind the court system. A case that could change the practice of granting injunctions in patent cases, eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, will be taken up by the Supreme Court, but no decision is expected until the spring at the earliest. Spencer, meanwhile, has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 24 on the injunction and damages.
Because patent infringement cases don't often rise to this level of importance and even fewer make it this far in the courts, it is hard to tell how Spencer will rule. An injunction he once issued on a sediment-control device, for instance, interested few people outside the construction industry. RIM v. NTP, on the other hand, could affect many of the more than 3 million BlackBerry users in the United States.
"His bottom line is that he wants this case off his docket," said Susan Dadio, a patent attorney in Alexandria, Virginia. "And if the two sides can't reach a settlement or resolve this, he will not be afraid to act himself."
NTP was co-founded by the late Thomas Campana Jr., an engineer who in 1990 created a system to send e-mails between computers and wireless devices. He is survived by his wife, who owns a large stake in NTP.
The BlackBerry hit the market in the late 1990s, becoming popular with lawyers, consultants and others who wanted to check e-mails away from their office and home computers.
In 2001, NTP filed suit. A year later, a federal jury in Richmond agreed that RIM had infringed on NTP's patents. The jury awarded the small firm 5.7% of U.S. BlackBerry sales, a rate that Spencer later increased to 8.55%.
Spencer issued an injunction in 2003 but held off on its enforcement during RIM's appeals. Those efforts largely failed and the case returned to his court last year.
Government and emergency workers would be exempted from any BlackBerry blackout, but the Justice Department has asked Spencer to hold off on an injunction until the details can be sorted out.
If granted, that delay would also permit corporate and individual BlackBerry users to switch to other devices or to download new software that RIM claims would work around NTP's patents.
RIM executives say the new software will prevent any service disruptions, but they have released few details. Some analysts are questioning the viability of the workaround and whether it might inconvenience users or degrade service.
The unanswered questions in the case have led thousands of companies to contact consultants in recent weeks for advice on alternative technologies, though few have actually made the switch.
At United Parcel Service Inc., as many as 3,000 managers, executives and technical support employees use BlackBerries. In the worst-case scenario, the company would switch those users over to Palm Treo handhelds, which are used by other employees, said Donna Barrett, a UPS spokeswoman.
David Johnson, infrastructure technology director for Grant Thornton LLP, said the accounting firm has been moving away from BlackBerries to a variety of devices supporting Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system.
That move has been due to personal preferences rather than the RIM litigation, but now the firm has asked two wireless providers to be prepared to supply backup devices for some of its 550 remaining BlackBerry users.
Even so, Johnson hopes RIM and NTP will work out their differences.
"If they want to kill each other and put each other out of business, all they're going to do is drive people to Windows Mobile faster," Johnson said. "This is stupid is as stupid does."
Analysts and others say both sides should settle. RIM would be able to avoid the headaches of the injunction and focus more on its business, especially with Microsoft posing a greater threat.
And NTP, they say, would fare better with a fat settlement (perhaps beyond the $250 million RIM has deposited in escrow) while continuing to reap royalties from licensing agreements with RIM competitors Nokia Corp., Good Technology Inc. and Visto Corp.
Those companies have only small pieces of the wireless e-mail market dominated by RIM. And eventually, some analysts say, the patent office would catch up to NTP, eliminating its leverage.
"Their days of milking these patents are nearing their end," Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney said, referring to NTP. "If they are indeed worried about the poor widow Campana, they should take the money."
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-20-06 2107ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Dangaard Telecom to distribute Fujitsu Siemens Pocket LOOX T Series
Feb 20, 2006 (WORLDWIDE COMPUTER PRODUCTS NEWS via COMTEX) -- Fujitsu Siemens Computers, an IT provider, has signed a cooperation agreement with telecomms sector distributor Dangaard Telecom.
According to the company, Dangaard Telecom will market Fujitsu Siemens Computers handhelds throughout EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa), and the first of these products will be the Pocket LOOX T Series, introduced at 3GSM World Congress.
The Pocket LOOX T Series reportedly features Windows Mobile Direct Push e-mail and UMTS mobile phone, a standard QWERTY keyboard, TFT display and the integrated GPS. No financial details were disclosed.
(C)1995-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
-0-
Sail-That was a .....just in case someone asked.
Holiday Hours
For Data and Order Execution
Data/Exchanges
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Equities (NYSE, AMEX, Nasdaq):
Monday, 2/20/2006– Closed for Presidents' Day.
=DJ DOJ Says NTP Must Decide How Ban Would Be Implemented
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--NTP Inc. must decide how a potential BlackBerry ban in the U.S. should be implemented before the government can determine if that approach is feasible, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing Thursday.
The filing is the latest in a flurry of filings by the DOJ, NTP and Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) ahead of a key hearing in the RIM-NTP patent patent dispute scheduled for next Friday in Virginia District Court. At that hearing, Judge James Spencer will hear arguments for and against a ban on sales and services of BlackBerry in the U.S.
RIM, maker of the popular BlackBerry email device, faces the possible ban due to a previous infringement verdict against it in the long-running dispute between it and NTP. U.S. government BlackBerry subscribers would be exempt if a ban is ordered. RIM, Waterloo, Ont., has about 3 million BlackBerry subscribers in the U.S., including as many as 1 million that may be covered by the government exemption.
RIM has said it can modify its BlackBerry system to work around NTP's patents, but it remains unclear if the new system will work as well as the current one. It's also unclear how easy it will be to implement the new system and whether it will withstand a court challenge from NTP, which is almost certain to come.
NTP's position is no less precarious, as its patents are in the process of being rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which is reviewing all five disputed NTP patents. The PTO has rejected all five patents in preliminary and secondary reviews and final rulings - which are also expected to reject the patents - are imminent.
Still, despite the dangers to both sides, they appear set on slugging it out in court rather making concessions and settling the case.
The recent court filings center around the feasibility of a ban. The DOJ has expressed concern that a ban could impede the government's BlackBerry service and requested that NTP file a specific implementation plan that details how BlackBerry service would continue for authorized users. It also requested an evidentiary hearing and a period of discovery to ensure that authorized users won't be affected by a ban.
NTP indicated in a court filing Monday that it "strongly opposes" the DOJ's requests, noting that it's up to RIM, the infringing party, to determine how to comply with a ban. NTP also said it believes RIM can comply and that it "misled the government about the information available to RIM to identify exempted" BlackBerry users.
RIM fired back with a filing of its own Tuesday, saying NTP's "strident response" in its Monday filing "validates" the government's request for a period of discovery and an evidentiary hearing.
NTP's Filing "Misses The Point"
The DOJ responded to NTP Thursday, saying in its filing that it can't take steps to prepare for a ban until NTP decides how a ban should be implemented. "NTP argues that, as the innocent party, it should not bear burden of compliance," the filing said. "This misses the point. In our brief, we have noted that there are at least four different ways of accomplishing the task of permitting governmental use to continue while enjoining private use. We simply call upon NTP to pick one so that we can concentrate our efforts on addressing issues raised in pursuing that approach."
The DOJ filing noted that NTP had previously suggested that RIM's carrier partners could identify BlackBerry users by using a BlackBerry subscriber's PIN (personal identification number). However, after spending considerable time obtaining information from carriers, the DOJ concluded that this solution wasn't feasible.
The DOJ also noted that NTP's Monday filing suggested a different way to compile a list of authorized users. This approach involves identifying authorized users according to their RIM servers, each of which has a unique SRP (Server Relay Protocol) identification.
"If this is now an implementation plan that NTP agrees substantially complies with its proposed injunction, the government can focus on it," the DOJ filing said. "However, it is wasteful of governmental resources for it to gather information from its many users to identify BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Servers), if NTP then decides that a server-level identification of authorized users does not comply with its proposed injunction."
NTP declined to comment.
In an email Wednesday responding to RIM's Tuesday filing, NTP lawyer Kevin Anderson suggested that RIM and its carrier partners can differentiate between government and private-sector BlackBerry users. "It is simply an Alice-in-Wonderland fantasy for RIM and its partners to assert that they do not, and cannot, know who pays them $40 each month for BlackBerry service," he said in the email.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.net -Stuart Weinberg, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2026; stuart.weinberg@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-17-06 1353ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
DJ China's Netac Sues U.S. PNY Tech Over Flash Memory Patent
SHANGHAI (AP)--Chinese flash-memory products maker Netac says it has filed a lawsuit against U.S. rival PNY Technologies (PNY.XX) for alleged infringements of one of its patents - in a rare instance of a Chinese company pursuing piracy charges overseas.
The lawsuit, seeking unspecified "significant financial damages," was filed Feb. 10 in the Eastern District Court in Texas, the Chinese company said in a statement Friday on its Web site.
Netac, based in the southern high-tech hub of Shenzhen, asked the court to suspend sales of PNY's flash-memory storage devices.
"We want to get fair competition in the United States, while Netac is expanding its presence in the overseas market," Deng Guoshun, president of Netac, said in the statement.
Calls to PNY's headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey, seeking comment weren't answered after hours.
Netac, a company founded by Chinese who returned to the country after studying and working overseas, is a leading maker of mobile storage and digital devices.
The company says its founders invented the world's first mobile flash memory drive using a USB interface in 1999 and obtained a China patent for their technology in 2002. The U.S. patent for the invention was granted in 2004, Netac says.
Netac has successfully sued several Chinese companies for alleged patent infringement. A case against Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp. (SNE) hasn't yet been decided, the state-run newspaper China Daily reported Friday.
Although Chinese companies often face allegations of patent and copyright violations due to rampant commercial piracy inside China, they rarely have brought charges against foreign competitors.
The situation is changing, however, as Chinese companies become increasingly aware of the value of protecting their own inventions and technologies.
"We have spent a huge amount of money and energy on research and development, so we hope other makers will honor our intellectual property rights," the China Daily quoted Deng as saying.
The report noted that Netac's patent application raised protests from 19 other international manufacturers because of its broad applications across a wide variety of products. About 10 companies have licensed the technology from Netac, including Samsung Electronics (005930.SE) of South Korea, the report said.
Netac reported sales of more than 3 million flash-memory devices in 2005, though revenues were lower than US$100 million, it said.
-Edited by Clarissa Tan
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-17-06 0139ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
=DJ FOCUS: Mobile-Only Operators Fear VoIP Value Destruction
By Nic Fildes
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
BARCELONA (Dow Jones)--Mobile operators can usually be found talking up prospects at their annual conference but this year the spotlight's been as much on threats as opportunities.
The emerging Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, software, which routes voice calls over the Internet, has been the main talking point at 2006's 3GSM mobile telecommunications conference in Barcelona as handsets and services that provide mobile phone users with access to Internet-based voice calls emerge.
For mobile companies that charge premium rates for voice calls, VoIP is a major threat as it offers consumers free calls over the Internet. With tariffs for voice products, both fixed and mobile, already falling fast through competition, regulatory pressure and new technology, VoIP could exacerbate the situation by potentially cutting tariffs altogether.
"Internet voice is going mobile," Jorma Ollila, Nokia chief executive said at the conference.
"Expect a mobile VOIP downgrade very soon," said Westhall Capital analyst Cyrus Mewawalla in a note entitled 'Nokia Opens The Floodgates to Mobile VoIP.' The investment implication? Stay away from companies who rely too heavily on voice revenues (especially wireless voice, where prices are up to 100 times higher than Internet prices)."
He subsequently recommended selling Vodafone (VOD), Telecom Italia (TI), China Mobile Ltd. (CHL) and Taiwan Mobile Ltd. (3045.TW).
Mewawalla continued: "The premium for wireless voice, without mobility, will disappear as wi-fi networks spread. By our estimates, that puts 75% of the market for mobile voice revenues at risk of a substantial price downgrade (in the order of 50%-80%). For some international calls, prices could fall by 90% or more."
Kai Oistamo, Executive Vice President, General Manager, Mobile Phones at Nokia, told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview that the manufacturer is committed to supporting all emerging VoIP technologies. He also said that with Internet brands entering the wireless space "it is very important to work with these guys."
The major Internet brands like eBay, Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) and Google Inc. (GOOG), are all investing in developing VoIP services targeted at mobile phones.
Companies like BT Group PLC (BT) have reduced voice revenue exposure over the past few years and have started viewing VoIP as a potential lure for more customers to subscribe to broadband and other digital services. VoIP is even seen as bait to tempt customers away from mobile operators and back on to fixed networks.
France Telecom SA (FTE) and Telecom Italia SpA (TI), are also starting to offer services which utilize both fixed and mobile networks, meaning mobile-only companies like Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) may have the most to lose.
Smaller mobile-only companies like Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.'s (0013.HK) 3-branded operating unit and KPN NV's (KPN) German E-Plus unit have also embraced VoIP, teaming up with Skype, which is part of eBay, to offer unlimited voice calls over the Internet later this year to take market share from larger mobile players.
This leaves Vodafone, the largest operator in the world by sales, with a significant challenge. Although it has been steadily migrating its customers to third-generation, or 3G, networks which enable its customers to use increasingly sophisticated services, the potential threat of VoIP could endanger the bulk of its revenue base.
Vodafone still derives 81% of its revenue from basic voice services while the majority of its data revenue is still collected from customers sending basic text messages.
Yet despite all the talk, it may take a few years before mobile VoIP enters the mass market due to handset availability and call quality.
Vodafone doesn't expect VoIP to become a mass market proposition for two to three years. Chief Executive Arun Sarin unveiled an agreement at 3GSM to offer access to Google's search engine via its Vodafone Live! portal and said in the future, Vodafone will offer large bundles of wireless data which can be used for VoIP, Internet access or instant messaging.
"As an industry we will morph into this space (VoIP) over time," he said.
Sarin said that while VoIP services offer free calls to consumers, the user still has to pay a broadband subscription so the same principle could apply over mobile networks. He said that Vodafone won't offer the service over the next year but in two to three years time.
Sarin instead pointed to the increased capacity of mobile networks which will allow wireless broadband access, although at a lower rate than wi-fi. This will enable mobile companies to create value by offering more sophisticated entertainment services like mobile television, mobile Internet surfing and gaming.
Other mobile operators agree there is still huge potential for mobile networks to create value.
Rene Obermann, chief executive of T-Mobile International AG (TMO.YY), the mobile arm of Deutsche Telekom said: "Voice alone created a multi-billion dollar industry." He pointed to open Internet access, instant messaging and micro payments using mobile devices as key revenue drivers for mobile companies over the coming years.
Mobile television, and advertising around entertainment services, also emerged as topical points at 3GSM.
MTV's Chief Digital Officer Jason Hirshhorn said that the emerging mobile video download market and advertising around these services, opens up a significant new revenue stream for mobile companies and content providers if an appropriate business model can be formed.
"It will be a huge market," he said.
But new services will also take time to develop into meaningful revenue streams, meaning mobile VoIP remains a very real threat for premium voice services.
News at the 3GSM conference that Finnish manufacturer Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Motorola Inc. (MOT) have launched handsets that can roam seamlessly between fixed-wireless broadband - or wi-fi - networks and mobile networks also piled on the pressure for those telecoms companies with large voice exposure.
BT, which doesn't own a mobile network, will offer its customers in the U.K. the Motorola handset in the summer, meaning those users which take up the BT Fusion service can use wi-fi networks when within the range of a wi-fi hotspot to access VoIP. This means they only pay normal mobile rates when on the move and out of range of a hotspot, with, ironically, Vodafone providing the capacity.
T-Mobile will offer a similar service to its U.S. customers via the Nokia handset while Orange CEO Sanjiv Ahuja said its parent France Telecom will also look to offer a converged handset in 2006 as it ramps up its convergence offering.
Steve Andrews, BT head of mobility, told Dow Jones Newswires at the sidelines of the conference that wi-fi "brings the power of broadband to the handset." He said that at least combined 20 wi-fi/GSM handsets are becoming available over the coming months.
BT has around 14,000 Fusion customers using handsets which switch between the short-range Bluetooth technology and GSM and is adding over 2,000 users a week. BT is building wi-fi networks in 12 U.K. cities this year with the network already live in Cardiff and the London borough of Westminster.
With the greater capacity and wi-fi handsets available in the summer, VoIP over mobile looms large as a threat to traditional mobile phone revenues. If consumers can get free calls over VoIP, they are unlikely to pay a premium just for mobile voice.
Company Web site: http://www.vodafone.com
-By Nic Fildes, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9264; nicolas.fildes@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-17-06 1326ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
me too...about the same total.
wow...we're all over the place today.
This is the New IDCC.
look @ the volume go.
SEC Filings
4
INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP filed this Form 4 on 02/16/06
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FORM 4 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 OMB APPROVAL
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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*KIERNAN BRIAN G
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Last) (First) (Middle)
781 THIRD AVENUE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Street)KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-1409
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP [IDCC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable) Director 10% Owner
X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
Senior Standards Officer
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
02/14/2006
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 02/14/2006 A 978 A (1) 35,385 D
Common Stock 1,356 (2) I By 401(k) Plan
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Explanation of Responses:
1. Granted pursuant to the InterDigital Communications Corporation 1999 Restricted Stock Plan in accordance with the Company's Annual Bonus Plan.
2. As of the most recently published account statement dated February 14, 2006, the Reporting Person beneficially owned 1,356 shares of Common Stock pursuant to the InterDigital Communications Corporation Savings and Protection Plan.
/s/ Rebecca Bridgeford Opher, Attorney-In-Fact for Brian G. Kiernan 02/16/2006
** Signature of Reporting Person Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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Copyright © 2006 InterDigital Communications Corporation
781 Third Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406 USA
InterDigital is an equal opportunity employer supporting diversity in the workplace.
For more information contact InterDigital.
All Rights Reserved, see important legal notices.
Contact the webmaster with all comments and questions about the website.
Lucent Technologies: Lucent Technologies expands role in Cingular's
Nationwide 3G UMTS deployment Expands Lucent's existing agreement as a strategic
supplier of UMTS/HSDPA technologies and network integration services
Murray Hill, N.J., Feb 16, 2006 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) today announced that Cingular has expanded the market coverage of Lucent's existing agreement to supply third-generation (3G) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network equipment -- including both Radio Access Network and core switching, along with software and services to support Cingular's nationwide 3G service.
Financial and market details are not being disclosed.
As with the original agreement announced in November 2004, the expansion will include an enhanced version of UMTS technology, called High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), which will ultimately support theoretical maximum peak data speeds of up to 14.4 Megabits per second (Mbps).
Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) will continue to assist Cingular in the deployment and integration of Lucent's solution as part of the market expansion. This includes multi-vendor integration and technical support services that will seamlessly connect and maintain a critical link between Cingular's core network and its new applications portal.
"We are excited about the opportunity to expand our work with Cingular as a strategic supplier for its nationwide, 3G network deployment," said Joe McCarthy, vice president of sales for Lucent Technologies. "It was a little over a year ago when Cingular became Lucent's first commercial UMTS contract in North America, and we clearly have continued to established ourself as a significant player in the market for 3G UMTS systems." About Lucent Technologies Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit http://www.lucent.com.
CONTACT: Denise Panyik-Dale, Lucent Technologies Tel: +1 973 386 2983 e-mail: dpanyikdale@lucent.com Ichiro Kawasaki, Lucent Technologies Tel: +1 973 386 3479 e-mail: Kawasaki@lucent.com
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-0-
sorry about that...that was old iformation.
PRESS RELEASE: Review by the Board of Directors and Nokia 2005 Annual Accounts (IFRS) are Available on Nokia's Website
ESPOO, Finland, February 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Review by the Board of Directors and Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 2005 Annual Accounts (IFRS) are available in pdf format at www.nokia.com/financials. These accounts form part of the proxy material for registered ADR holders. The Form 20-F annual report for 2005 will be made available when filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Nokia
/CONTACT: Media Enquiries: Nokia, Communications, Tel. +358-7180-34900, E-mail: press.office@nokia.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-06 1031ET
DJ UK PRESS: Fidelity's Magellan Fund Dumps US Stocks
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Fidelity's flagship Magellan Fund (FMAGX) sold off big-name U.S. consumer stocks such as Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) and moved a fifth of its $51 billion under management into overseas markets, the Financial Times reported Thursday.
In an unsourced report, the FT said Magellan raised its non-U.S. holdings to 25% from 4% during the December quarter, according to regulatory filings. The fund also raised its exposure to technology companies, including Google Inc. (GOOG), the FT reported.
General Electric Co. (GE) is the only name that remains in Magellan's top 10 holdings, although Nokia Corp. (NOK), the Finnish mobile telephone operator, has replaced it as the fund's biggest holding, the FT said.
Magellan bought 60 million Nokia shares in the quarter, raising its holding by 56%, while it sold 44.4 million GE shares at the same time, the newspaper said.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-06 1013ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Last-I think they'll throw us a bone.
Wall Street News Alert: Aggressive Investors Alert! February 16, 2006
Weston, FLA., Feb 16, 2006 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Wall Street News Alert's "stocks to watch" this morning are: China Digital Communication Group (OTCBB: CHID), NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES), Patriot Scientific Corporation (OTCBB: PTSC), MobilePro Corp. (OTCBB: MOBL), and Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM).
China Digital Communication Group (OTCBB: CHID) will likely get the attention of investors as the markets begin trading this morning. Yesterday after the stock markets closed, the company, one of the fastest growing battery components manufacturers in China, issued a press release announcing that it has entered into an agreement to acquire one of the leading power suppliers to the domestic market (China) and that is a pioneer of third generation (3G) power supply technologies and equipment.
The company is UPE (Far East) Limited ("UPE"), which operates through its wholly owned subsidiary company, Shenzhen Zhuo Tong Power Supply Industry Co., Ltd. ("Zhu Tong").
This is big news for China Digital and likely will appeal to investors! In 2005, Zhuo Tong had unaudited revenues of $5.4 million USD, and unaudited net income of US$1.85 million.
Wall Street News Alert is putting aggressive investors on high alert to continue watching this company! Changchun Zheng, CEO and Chairman of China Digital, stated, "The acquisition of Zhuo Tong is a pivotal step in transforming China Digital from a mobile phone components manufacturer into a 3G technology and equipment system provider. Zhuo Tong leads the 3G power supply market in China with an impressive customer base and technological intellectual property, and will be immediately accretive to our earnings. The combination of Zhuo Tong and our battery shell manufacturing subsidiary Shenzhen E'Jenie provides a synergistic platform to drive aggressive future growth."
Zhou Tong provides power supply technology and equipment to China's "Big Four" - China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Netcom. Zhuo Tong serves large-scale commercial and industrial telecommunication operators; electrical power supply system providers, electricity utilities and other ancillary service providers. Zhuo Tong is ISO9001 quality control certified; holds a TLC license for producing telecommunication equipment and components in China; and is a member of the Chinese Power Source Academic Society.
Aggressive investors need to watch this company VERY closely! Pursuant to the acquisition agreement, China Digital will acquire 100% of UPE in an all stock transaction valued at approximately US$11.1 million. China Digital will issue 18.5 million shares to the shareholders of UPE in exchange for all of the shares UPE. Upon completion of the acquisition, the shareholders of UPE will own approximately 25% of China Digital. The closing of the acquisition is subject to various conditions, including the completion of an audit of Zhuo Tong's financial statements, the completion of financial due diligence on UPE and Zhuo Tong by China Digital and the receipt of customary consents, approvals and opinions.
Prior to yesterday's press release, the stock closed yesterday at Sixty Four cents a share.
To view a detailed, in-depth profile of China Digital Communication, visit http://www.thenewssvc.com/CHID021506.html To view all of Wall Street News Alert's special early morning trading alerts for this morning, visit www.WallStreetNewsAlert.com, where you may also sign up to receive free email alerts in advance of our press releases being issued.
In case you are not familiar with the company: China Digital Communication Group, through its Shenzhen E'Jenie subsidiary, is a rapidly growing manufacturer of battery shells and related technology for use in electronic products, primarily mobile phones. Since December 2003, the Company has adopted the approach of using licenses, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions to bring battery and telecom equipment makers in China to markets overseas. The Company's products now power digital cameras, camera phones, PDAs and laptop computers in East Asia and beyond. China Digital is continuing its expansion across China, while also seeking distribution partners in the United States.
NetEase.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES) up 0.5% on 358,000 shares traded. NetEase.com, Inc. is a leading China-based Internet technology company that pioneered the development of applications, services and other technologies for the Internet in China. Their online communities and personalized premium services have established a large and stable user base for the NetEase websites which are operated by our affiliate.
Patriot Scientific Corporation (OTCBB: PTSC) up 54.8% on 25.5 million shares traded.
Patriot Scientific develops and markets innovative and proprietary semiconductor technologies. The Company's portfolio of proprietary designs encompasses what is believed to be fundamental ultra-low-power array microprocessor technology, as well as pending patents designed to protect Patriot's proprietary technology.
MobilePro Corp. (OTCBB: MOBL) up 24.3% on 16.7 million shares traded. MobilePro Corp. is a wireless broadband company, serving wireless broadband customers through its subsidiaries NeoReach Wireless and Kite Broadband. The company is focused on creating shareholder value by acquiring and growing profitable telecommunications companies, developing innovative wireless technologies and forging strategic alliances with well-positioned companies in complementary product lines and industries. MobilePro serves lines throughout the United States, primarily through its CloseCall America, American Fiber Network, Kite Broadband and Nationwide Internet subsidiaries.
Broadcom Corp (NASDAQ: BRCM) up 0.1% on 10.1 million shares traded. Broadcom Corp is a wired and wireless communications semiconductors company. Broadcom Corp announced its new CellAirity mobile platform for next generation cellular handsets.
Commentary: "In the past the FOMC, the Fed's committee on interest rates, has opted to increase the overnight rate 14 times since the middle of 2004. In his first report to Congress, Bernanke left little doubt, according to experts, that at the next meeting in March the FOMC will still be in tightening mode," Stated Sonja Rudd in Wall Street News Alert's daily commentary continued at: http://www.WallStreetNewsAlert.com.
Let Wall Street News Alert help advertise for your company using our effective awareness campaigns. If you're Interested in telling your story, we can help. Contact us at info@wallstreetnewsalert.com
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*** Wall Street News Alert is not affiliated with faxes bearing names such as: Wall Street Stock Alert, Wall Street Investor Alert, Wall Street News Alert or any other fax using various combinations of the generic words Wall Street! If you receive any such fax, please do not contact us at www.wallstreetnewsalert.com. You may wish to inquire about the fax, with the CEO of the company that the fax is written about ***
Wall Street News Alert is a division of Wall Street Capital Funding LLC (WSCF). WSCF is not a registered broker/dealer and may not sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. WSCF profiles are not a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. An offer to buy or sell can be made only with accompanying disclosure documents from the company offering or selling securities and only in the states and provinces for which they are approved. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational. The companies that are discussed in this release have not approved the statements made in this release nor approved the timing of this release. All statements and expressions are the sole opinion of WSCF and are subject to change without notice. Information in this release is derived from a variety of sources including that company's publicly disseminated information, third parties and WSCF research. The accuracy or completeness of the information is not warranted and is only as reliable as the sources from which it was obtained. WSCF disclaims any and all liability as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained and any omissions of material fact in this release. The release may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. It is strongly recommended that any purchase or sale decision be discussed with a financial adviser, or a broker-dealer, or a member of any financial regulatory bodies. Investment in the securities of the companies' discussed in this release is highly speculative and carries a high degree of risk. WSCF is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment if they make a purchase in WSCF profiled stocks.
This profile is not without bias, and is a paid release. WSCF has been compensated for dissemination of company information on behalf of one or more of the companies mentioned in this release. (WSCF has been compensated Fourteen Thousand Dollars for current coverage AND was previously compensated Fourteen Thousand Dollars for past coverage of China Digital Communication Group (OTCBB: CHID), by a third party (National Financial Communications Corp), who is non-affiliated and may hold a significant position in the stock, for services provided including dissemination of company information in this release. WSCF was compensated for previous services (2005) performed for China Digital Communication Group; for information on that compensation, contact us at info@wallstreetnewsalert.com. WSCF holds no shares of the stock. WSCF may receive additional compensation for extension of its services. Any additional compensation will be disclosed at such time that WSCF is aware of a clients desire to extend the original services. WSCF may have received shares of a company profiled in this release prior to the dissemination of the information in this release. WSCF may immediately sell some or any shares in a profiled company held by WSCF and may have previously sold shares in a profiled company held by WSCF. WSCF's services for a company may cause the company's stock price to increase, in which event WSCF would make a profit when it sells its stock in a company. In addition, WSCF's selling of a company's stock may have a negative effect on the market price of the stock.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a companies' annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and WSCF undertakes no obligation to update such statements.
CONTACT: Wall Street News Alert e-mail: info@wallstreetnewsalert.com WWW: http://www.wallstreetnewsalert.com
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-0-
Stock Watch: Small Public Company Looks to Take Position in Chinese 3G
Power Supply Market! February 16, 2006 NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an
Investment Opinion Being Issued by Wall Street Capital Funding.
WESTON, FL, Feb 16, 2006 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Wall Street News Alert's "stocks to watch" this Thursday morning are: China Digital Communication Group (OTC BB: CHID), Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), and Nokia (NYSE: NOK).
China Digital Communication Group (OTC BB: CHID) will likely get the attention of investors as the markets begin trading this morning. Yesterday after the stock markets closed, the company, one of the fastest growing battery components manufacturers in China, issued a press release announcing that it has entered into an agreement to acquire one of the leading power suppliers to the domestic market (China) and that is a pioneer of third generation (3G) power supply technologies and equipment.
The company is UPE (Far East) Limited ("UPE"), which operates through its wholly owned subsidiary company, Shenzhen Zhuo Tong Power Supply Industry Co., Ltd. ("Zhu Tong").
This is big news for China Digital and likely will appeal to investors! In 2005, Zhuo Tong had unaudited revenues of $5.4 million USD, and unaudited net income of US$1.85 million.
Wall Street News Alert is putting aggressive investors on high alert to continue watching this company! Changchun Zheng, CEO and Chairman of China Digital, stated, "The acquisition of Zhuo Tong is a pivotal step in transforming China Digital from a mobile phone components manufacturer into a 3G technology and equipment system provider. Zhuo Tong leads the 3G power supply market in China with an impressive customer base and technological intellectual property, and will be immediately accretive to our earnings. The combination of Zhuo Tong and our battery shell manufacturing subsidiary Shenzhen E'Jenie provides a synergistic platform to drive aggressive future growth."
Zhou Tong provides power supply technology and equipment to China's "Big Four" -- China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Netcom. Zhuo Tong serves large-scale commercial and industrial telecommunication operators; electrical power supply system providers, electricity utilities and other ancillary service providers. Zhuo Tong is ISO9001 quality control certified; holds a TLC license for producing telecommunication equipment and components in China; and is a member of the Chinese Power Source Academic Society.
Aggressive investors need to watch this company VERY closely! Pursuant to the acquisition agreement, China Digital will acquire 100% of UPE in an all stock transaction valued at approximately US$11.1 million. China Digital will issue 18.5 million shares to the shareholders of UPE in exchange for all of the shares UPE. Upon completion of the acquisition, the shareholders of UPE will own approximately 25% of China Digital. The closing of the acquisition is subject to various conditions, including the completion of an audit of Zhuo Tong's financial statements, the completion of financial due diligence on UPE and Zhuo Tong by China Digital and the receipt of customary consents, approvals and opinions.
Prior to yesterday's press release, the stock closed yesterday at Sixty-Four cents a share.
To view a detailed, in-depth profile of China Digital Communication, visit http://www.thenewssvc.com/CHID021506.html
To view all of Wall Street News Alert's special early morning trading alerts for this morning, visit www.WallStreetNewsAlert.com, where you may also sign up to receive free email alerts in advance of our press releases being issued.
In case you are not familiar with the company: China Digital Communication Group, through its Shenzhen E'Jenie subsidiary, is a rapidly growing manufacturer of battery shells and related technology for use in electronic products, primarily mobile phones. Since December 2003, the Company has adopted the approach of using licenses, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions to bring battery and telecom equipment makers in China to markets overseas. The Company's products now power digital cameras, camera phones, PDAs and laptop computers in East Asia and beyond. China Digital is continuing its expansion across China, while also seeking distribution partners in the United States.
Stocks showing interesting activity yesterday at the close of the regular trading day were: Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) up 1.2% on 65 million shares traded, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) up 1.8% on 19.5 million shares traded, and Nokia (NYSE: NOK) up 1.3% on 16.7 million shares traded.
Commentary:
"In the past the FOMC, the Fed's committee on interest rates, has opted to increase the overnight rate 14 times since the middle of 2004. In his first report to Congress, Bernanke left little doubt, according to experts, that at the next meeting in March the FOMC will still be in tightening mode," stated Sonja Rudd in Wall Street News Alert's daily commentary continued at: http://www.WallStreetNewsAlert.com.
Let Wall Street News Alert help advertise for your company using our effective awareness campaigns. If you're Interested in telling your story, we can help. Contact us at info@wallstreetnewsalert.com
WSNA's email alert service is free to those investors who sign up on the WSNA home page. The alert service is designed to notify investors of undervalued and often overlooked stocks. Subscribers are introduced to Special Situation companies that have the potential of showing increased activity. The Wall Street News Alert home page has experienced over 50 million hits. To subscribe to this free service, visit the Wall Street News Alert home page at http://www.wallstreetnewsalert.com and select the "join now" button.
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Wall Street News Alert is a division of Wall Street Capital Funding LLC (WSCF). WSCF is not a registered broker/dealer and may not sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. WSCF profiles are not a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. An offer to buy or sell can be made only with accompanying disclosure documents from the company offering or selling securities and only in the states and provinces for which they are approved. The material in this release is intended to be strictly informational. The companies that are discussed in this release have not approved the statements made in this release nor approved the timing of this release. All statements and expressions are the sole opinion of WSCF and are subject to change without notice. Information in this release is derived from a variety of sources including that company's publicly disseminated information, third parties and WSCF research. The accuracy or completeness of the information is not warranted and is only as reliable as the sources from which it was obtained. WSCF disclaims any and all liability as to the completeness or accuracy of the information contained and any omissions of material fact in this release. The release may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. It is strongly recommended that any purchase or sale decision be discussed with a financial adviser, or a broker-dealer, or a member of any financial regulatory bodies. Investment in the securities of the companies discussed in this release is highly speculative and carries a high degree of risk. WSCF is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers. Investors are cautioned that they may lose all or a portion of their investment if they make a purchase in WSCF profiled stocks.
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This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and WSCF undertakes no obligation to update such statements.
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Copyright 2006 Market Wire, All rights reserved.
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SUBJECT CODE: Financial Services:Investment Opinion Business/Finance: General:Investment Opinion
PRESS RELEASE: China Digital Communication Group Executes Agreement to Acquire Shenzhen Zhuo Tong
LOS ANGELES and SHENZHEN, China, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Digital Communication Group ("China Digital") (OTC Bulletin Board: CHID), one of the fastest growing battery components manufacturers in China, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire UPE (Far East) Limited ("UPE"), which operates through its wholly owned subsidiary company, Shenzhen Zhuo Tong Power Supply Industry Co., Ltd. ("Zhuo Tong"). Zhuo Tong is one of the leading power suppliers to the domestic market (China) and is a pioneer of third generation (3G) power supply technologies and equipment. In 2005, Zhuo Tong had unaudited revenues of $5.4 million USD, and unaudited net income of US$1.85 million. The closing of the acquisition is subject to various conditions, including the completion of an audit of Zhuo Tong's financial statements, the completion of financial due diligence on UPE and Zhuo Tong by China Digital and the receipt of customary consents, approvals and opinions.
Pursuant to the acquisition agreement, China Digital will acquire 100% of UPE in an all stock transaction valued at approximately US$11.1 million. China Digital will issue 18.5 million shares to the shareholders of UPE in exchange for all of the shares UPE. Upon completion of the acquisition, the shareholders of UPE will own approximately 25% of China Digital.
Changchun Zheng, CEO and Chairman of China Digital, stated, "The acquisition of Zhuo Tong is a pivotal step in transforming China Digital from a mobile phone components manufacturer into a 3G technology and equipment system provider. Zhuo Tong leads the 3G power supply market in China with an impressive customer base and technological intellectual property, and will be immediately accretive to our earnings. The combination of Zhuo Tong and our battery shell manufacturing subsidiary Shenzhen E'Jenie provides a synergistic platform to drive aggressive future growth."
Zhuo Tong provides power supply technology and equipment to China's "Big Four" -- China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Netcom. Zhuo Tong serves large-scale commercial and industrial telecommunication operators; electrical power supply system providers, electricity utilities and other ancillary service providers. Zhuo Tong is ISO9001 quality control certified; holds a TLC license for producing telecommunication equipment and components in China; and is a member of the Chinese Power Source Academic Society.
About Shenzhen Zhuo Tong Power Supply Industry Co.
Shenzhen Zhuo Tong Power Supply Industry Co., Ltd. is specialized in manufacturing and distributing high frequency power supply products; reversible power supply products; and other related power supply products including an Intelligent Temperature Control System for the commercial computer industry. Zhuo Tong has promulgated the TLC license for producing telecommunication equipment and components in China. Shenzhen Zhuo Tong partners include Germany
Phoenix Electric Co. and American Luminous Network Co. Shenzhen Zhuo Tong's major customers are communication equipment producers for the IT, power, and radio and television broadcast industries. For more information, visit http://www.zhuotong.com.
About China Digital Communication Group
China Digital Communication Group, through its Shenzhen E'Jenie subsidiary, is a rapidly growing manufacturer of battery shells and related technology for use in electronic products, primarily mobile phones. Since December 2003, the Company has adopted the approach of using licenses, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions to bring battery and telecom equipment makers in China to markets overseas. The Company's products now power digital cameras, camera phones, PDAs and laptop computers in East Asia and beyond. China Digital is continuing its expansion across China, while also seeking distribution partners in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.chinadigitalgroup.com.
Forward-looking statement: Except for the historical information, the matters discussed in this news release may contain forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, factors relating to future sales. These forward-looking statements may involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, uncertainties in product demand, risks related to doing business in China, the impact of competitive products and pricing, changing economic conditions around the world, release and sales of new products, and other risk factors detailed in the company's most recent annual report and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For further information, contact: At the Company: China Digital Communication Group Roy Teng 310-461-1322 E-mail: info@chinadigitalgroup.com http://www.chinadigitalgroup.com Investor Relations: OTC Financial Network Peter Clark 781-444-6100, x629 peter@otcfn.com http://www.otcfn.com/chid SOURCE China Digital Communication Group
/CONTACT: Roy Teng of China Digital Communication Group, +1-310-461-1322, info@chinadigitalgroup.com; or Peter Clark of OTC Financial Network for China Digital Communication Group, +1-781-444-6100, ext. 629, peter@otcfn.com
/Web site: http://www.chinadigitalgroup.com /Web site: http://www.zhuotong.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-06 0807ET
GSMA and Intel announce initiative to facilitate GSM adoption in laptops
Feb 16, 2006 (WORLDWIDE COMPUTER PRODUCTS NEWS via COMTEX) -- At the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the GSM Association (GSMA), a trade association representing over 680 GSM mobile phone operators, and IT technology manufacturer, Intel Corp (NASDAQ: INTC) announced an initiative to facilitate the adoption of the GSM family of technologies in laptop computers.
The GSMA and Intel reportedly plan to collaborate to develop guidelines for integrating 3G modems and SIM cards into laptop computers, enabling automatic connection to both 3GSM networks and Wi-Fi networks, using the same SIM card technology as currently used by mobile phones.
GSMA's goal is to make sure that in future every notebook will be SIM ready, said the CEO of the GSM Association, adding that laptops with in-built 3GSM connectivity will enable PC users to enjoy seamless access to mobile broadband wireless services with secure authentication.
(C)1995-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
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DJ Ericsson Gets HSDPA Order From Mobilkom Austria Members
Edited Press Release
STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) said Thursday it has received an order for supply of HSDPA to members of the mobilkom austria group.
Financial details aren't provided.
Ericsson will upgrade their third generation networks to HSDPA, thus boosting the performance of mobile broadband.
The system rollout has already started and the network of mobilkom austria was first launched in Vienna in January this year.
Ericsson will deliver commercial HSDPA hardware and software as well as implementation services enabling the members of the mobilkom austria group to expand their third generation services offering to include advanced multi-media services.
The contract also includes future rollout of new base stations including HSDPA functionality in Austria and Bulgaria.
With 3.4 million customers and a market share of 39.1%, mobilkom austria is Austria's leading mobile operator.
The company is wholly owned by Telekom Austria AG (TKA), which is listed on the Vienna and New York stock exchanges.
The mobilkom austria group includes mobilkom austria, Vipnet in Croatia, Si.mobil in Slovenia, Mobiltel in Bulgaria and mobilkom liechtenstein.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-06 0346ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Nokia and Cable & Wireless Sign International Frame Agreement Cable &
Wireless Marks a New Mobile Network Customer for Nokia
ESPOO, Finland, February 16, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Cable & Wireless, one of the world's leading telecommunications companies, have today signed an International Frame Agreement for the supply of GSM and WCDMA 3G radio and core networks. Cable & Wireless is a new mobile network customer for Nokia.
Cable and Wireless operates in 34 countries across the globe. This agreement will help increase Cable and Wireless' coverage, capacity and quality in key markets.
The deal covers radio networks, including the Nokia HSDPA solution; core networks, including the 3GPP release 4 compliant Nokia mobile softswitch; and services, including the unique multitechnology Nokia NetAct(TM) solution, which supports both 2G and 3G networks.
"Our aim is to offer the very latest mobile multimedia services to our customers. We chose Nokia on the strength of its technology offering and ability to support us globally," says Francis Mount, Chief Technology Officer, Cable & Wireless International Businesses.
"Nokia is delighted to be signing an International Frame Agreement with Cable & Wireless," says Peter Kuhne, Vice President, Networks, Nokia. "With Nokia's leading technology, particularly WCDMA 3G and HSDPA, Nokia can bring value and new revenues to Cable & Wireless in deploying new networks globally across Cable & Wireless's selected markets."
The 3GPP Release 4 architecture of the Nokia MSC Server System will allow Cable & Wireless to gain significant cost savings in the operation of its GSM and WCDMA 3G networks and will enable the operator to offer the most advanced mobile multimedia services to its customers.
About Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless operates in 34 countries across the globe, including the Caribbean, Panama, Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific. In the majority of markets it is the leading telecoms provider, offering a complete service including local and international telephony, mobile and Internet to residential and business customers.
Cable & Wireless now faces competition in 90% of its markets and continues to compete with new rivals by investing in world-class innovation, technology and people. It is proud to be contributing to the local economies and communities in which it operates and continues to build its brand and deliver excellence to its customers around the world. www.cw.com
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.
www.nokia.com
SOURCE Nokia
CONTACT: Media Enquiries: Nokia, Networks, Communications, Tel. +358-7180-34379. Nokia, Communications Tel. +358-7180-34900, Email: press.office@nokia.comURL: http://www.prnewswire.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: FinlandINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CSE TLSSUBJECT CODE: CON
PRESS RELEASE: Lucent Technologies Expands Role in Cingular's Nationwide 3G UMTS Deployment
MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 2006-- Expands Lucent's Existing Agreement as a Strategic Supplier Of UMTS/HSDPA Technologies and Network Integration Services
Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) today announced that Cingular has expanded the market coverage of Lucent's existing agreement to supply third-generation (3G) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) network equipment - including both Radio Access Network and core switching, along with software and services to support Cingular's nationwide 3G service.
Financial and market details are not being disclosed.
As with the original agreement announced in November 2004, the expansion will include an enhanced version of UMTS technology, called High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), which will ultimately support theoretical maximum peak data speeds of up to 14.4 Megabits per second (Mbps).
Lucent Worldwide Services (LWS) will continue to assist Cingular in the deployment and integration of Lucent's solution as part of the market expansion. This includes multi-vendor integration and technical support services that will seamlessly connect and maintain a critical link between Cingular's core network and its new applications portal.
"We are excited about the opportunity to expand our work with Cingular as a strategic supplier for its nationwide, 3G network deployment," said Joe McCarthy, vice president of sales for Lucent Technologies. "It was a little over a year ago when Cingular became Lucent's first commercial UMTS contract in North America, and we clearly have continued to established ourself as a significant player in the market for 3G UMTS systems."
About Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit www.lucent.com.
CONTACT: Lucent Technologies Denise Panyik-Dale, 973-386-2983 Mobile: 973-943-0832 dpanyikdale@lucent.com or Lucent Technologies Ichiro Kawasaki, 973-386-3479 Mobile: 973-477-4793 Kawasaki@lucent.com SOURCE: Lucent Technologies Copyright Business Wire 2006
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-16-06 0008ET
Ericsson expands network expansion contract with Cingular Wireless
Feb 16, 2006 (NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT via COMTEX) -- Swedish telecomms solutions provider Ericsson said on Thursday (16 February) that it had been awarded an additional UMTS network expansion contract from Cingular Wireless for delivery of mobile broadband services.
The agreement expands Ericsson's role as a major supplier and integrator in the build-out of Cingular's next-generation voice and data network.
With the contract expansion Ericsson will provide Cingular with UMTS/High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) packet core and radio network equipment.
Ericsson is also a supplier of professional services to Cingular, the company said.
Financial details were not disclosed.
(C)1998-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
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volume picking up.
Patent Infringement Trial Against Qualcomm Commences in the International
Trade Commission Commission to Determine Whether to Preclude Qualcomm from
Importing RF & Baseband Cellular Products that Infringe Broadcom Patents
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb 15, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications, announced the commencement today of the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) hearing regarding the alleged infringement of three Broadcom patents by Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM). Qualcomm products accused of infringing the Broadcom patents include baseband processor chips and transmitter/receiver (radio) chips and power control chips that comprise Qualcomm's core suite of multimedia, enhanced and convergence handset platforms.
The hearing, conducted before ITC Administrative Law Judge Charles E. Bullock, will determine whether Qualcomm has engaged in unfair trade practices by importing into the U.S. chips and chipsets that infringe one or more of the Broadcom patents.
Broadcom is seeking a permanent exclusion order that would bar the importation into the United States of infringing Qualcomm chips, as well as products, such as third party cellular handsets, that incorporate Qualcomm's infringing chips. Broadcom is also requesting a cease and desist order barring further sales of infringing products that have already been imported into the United States by Qualcomm.
The remedy phase of the ITC proceeding will be heard by Judge Bullock in July 2006, with the corresponding target date for completion of the ITC investigation set for December 2006. The ITC action is the first of several patent disputes between Broadcom and Qualcomm to go to trial. In February 2007 the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, California is scheduled to try Broadcom's claims of alleged infringement of five additional Broadcom patents by Qualcomm. Additionally, Qualcomm and Broadcom have other, later-filed patent disputes pending in U.S. District Court in San Diego, California. Following conclusion of the ITC proceedings, Broadcom will also litigate in the Santa Ana District Court the three patents that are the subject of the current ITC hearing.
In total and to date, Broadcom has alleged that Qualcomm's baseband, RF and power management products infringe 18 different Broadcom patents. Broadcom currently has over 1,250 issued U.S. patents and over 3,600 patent applications pending.
Separately, Broadcom has filed an antitrust suit against Qualcomm that is pending in U.S. District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, and has joined five other mobile wireless technology companies in filing complaints in the European Commission alleging that Qualcomm has engaged in anticompetitive conduct in the licensing of its patents and the sale of its chipsets for mobile wireless devices and systems. The six companies allege that Qualcomm is violating EU competition law and failing to meet the commitments it made to international standard bodies to license its technology on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video, data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile environment. Broadcom provides the industry's broadest portfolio of state-of- the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission: Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom, one of the world's largest fabless semiconductor companies with annual revenue of more than $2.5 billion, is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe. Broadcom may be contacted at 1-949-450-8700 or at http://www.broadcom.com .
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release, other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and business, management's beliefs, and certain assumptions made by us, all of which are subject to change. Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "could," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.
Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom include, but are not limited to, our ability to prevail in the federal lawsuits and United States International Trade Commission proceeding against Qualcomm; the ability of our patents to protect our intellectual property; our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights; and the risks associated with litigation in general, including the costs and time that must be devoted to litigation, the potential diversion of management's attention that may result from being engaged in litigation, and the possibility of adverse results. Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors that could contribute to such differences or otherwise affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.
Broadcom Business Press Contact Bill Blanning Vice President, Public Relations 949-926-5555 blanning@broadcom.com Broadcom Financial Analyst Contact T. Peter Andrew Vice President, Investor Relations 949-926-5663 pandrew@broadcom.com
SOURCE Broadcom Corporation; BRCM Corporate
CONTACT: Broadcom Business Press Contact: Bill Blanning, Vice President, Public Relations, +1-949-926-5555, blanning@broadcom.com; Broadcom Financial Analyst Contact: T. Peter Andrew, Vice President, Investor Relations +1-949-926-5663, pandrew@broadcom.comURL: http://www.prnewswire.com http://www.broadcom.comwww.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2006 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: District of Colum New Jersey CaliforniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: SEM CPR FINSUBJECT CODE: LAW PLW TRD
=DJ Research In Motion Filing Fires Back At NTP Filing >RIMM
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--NTP Inc.'s "strident response" to the U.S. government "validates" the government's request for a limited period of discovery and an expedited evidentiary hearing on the feasability of a BlackBerry ban in the U.S., Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM) said in a court filing Tuesday.
The court should also allow the government to intervene in Research In Motion, or RIM's, patent dispute with NTP and should require NTP to submit a specific plan regarding how its proposed injunction could be implemented without disrupting BlackBerry service to government users who would be exempt from a ban.
RIM, maker of the BlackBerry email device, faces a possible injunction on sales and service of the device in the U.S. due to a previous infringement verdict against it in its long-running dispute with NTP. Judge James Spencer, the Virginia District Court judge presiding over the case, is scheduled to hear arguments on an injunction Feb. 24. A decision is expected soon after.
RIM, which is based in Waterloo, Ont., has about 3 million BlackBerry subscribers in the U.S., with as many as one-third covered by the government's exemption. The U.S. Department of Justice indicated in a Feb. 1 court filing that NTP should be required to file a specific implementation plan that details how BlackBerry service for authorized users will continue in the event of a ban.
The DOJ has also requested a "period of discovery" to assure that authorized users won't be impeded by a ban, as well as an evidentiary hearing to consider how the exemption can be implemented without causing a substantial burden to federal, state and local governments.
In a court filing Monday responding to the DOJ, NTP said it's up to RIM, the infringing party, to determine how it would comply with a ban. The filing also said RIM has the means to comply and that RIM misled the government about the information available to it to identify exempt and non-exempt BlackBerry users. NTP, a Virginia patent concern, also suggested that the government has the means to compile a list of exempt users on its own.
The DOJ is expected to file a response to NTP Thursday.
In its filing Tuesday, RIM noted it has already submitted declarations detailing why it can't independently create a list of exempt users. It also noted that the DOJ's Feb. 1 filing discussed in detail the government's own preliminary investigation regarding several approaches for separating authorized and unauthorized users. The DOJ indicated that "serious questions" and great potential burdens to the government remain after consideration of every approach, RIM noted.
"In its filing yesterday, however, NTP directly takes issue with the evidence presented by RIM and/or the United States regarding the feasibilty of creating and maintaining a white list," the RIM filing said.
RIM went on to note that NTP's filing "conveniently fails" to address the problems of compiling white lists of state and local government personnel, government contractors, emergency-services workers, and other BlackBerry users who would be exempt from a ban. "By disputing in detail the information provided to the court by RIM and the government, NTP has created numerous material factual issues regarding the feasibility of devising and administering a white list of BlackBerry users who would be excluded from any injunction," the filing said.
In an email, NTP lawyer Kevin Anderson said RIM doesn't dispute that it bears the burden of determining how to comply with an injunction. "It is simply an Alice-in-Wonderland fantasy for RIM and its partners to assert that they do not, and cannot, know who pays them $40 each month for BlackBerry service," Anderson said. "The money does not just magically appear."
Anderson said that RIM hasn't taken any steps in the last three years to protect its government customers and the blame for the current predicament falls squarely on the willful infringer, RIM.
If the court orders an injunction, RIM will undoubtedly be able to comply rather than risk contempt, Anderson said. "Right now, RIM is just dragging its heels to manufacture a self-created alleged problem," he said.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.com -Stuart Weinberg, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2026; stuart.weinberg@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-15-06 1047ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Qualcomm predicts 3G WCDMA phones price fall
Feb 15, 2006 (TELECOMWORLDWIRE via COMTEX) -- Prices of 3G mobile phones which work on WCDMA networks are expected to fall to between USD100 and USD120 by the end of 2006, according to Qualcomm, a wireless technology company.
Qualcomm produces chips for WCDMA and CDMA phones and said that, once the prices fall, the WCDMA phone market will grow substantially. It predicted that WCDMA chips will be fitted to 40-50% of the 650m units per year 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA mobile phones market.
Qualcomm has also revealed plans to merge the Flash OFDM wireless broadband network standard, acquired through the Flarion takeover, into another technology in a few years' time. It also said the business case of all new wireless broadband network technologies such as WiMax, 802.20 and Flash OFDM has yet to be proven.
Qualcomm confirmed its need for another top tier WCDMA chips purchaser, in addition to Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics. It claimed that mobile phone company Motorola is the most likely to buy its products, although according to Reuters Motorola has said it would be hesitant to use WCDMA chips from Qualcomm because of the price.
(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD http://www.m2.com
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PRESS RELEASE:Fitch:Nokia Venture,Solution to CDMA Dilemma
The following is a press release from Fitch Ratings: Fitch: Nokia Sanyo Joint Venture Offers Solution to Nokia's CDMA Dilemma
Fitch Ratings-London-15 February 2006: Fitch Ratings said today that the proposed joint venture ("jv") combining the respective code-division multiple access ("CDMA") businesses of Finland's Nokia Corporation ("Nokia") with that of Japan's Sanyo Electric Co ("Sanyo") could offer benefits to both companies. In particular the proposed venture offers Nokia the opportunity of significantly boosting its share of a market where its presence has been relatively weak and where its strategy has been somewhat unclear.
Nokia is currently rated Long-term IDR 'A+' with a Negative Outlook. Fitch comments that it is too early to assess the potential credit impact of the development from a rating perspective but takes the view that the jv could over time ease some pressure on Nokia's R&D and add positively to earnings. With scale an increasingly important factor in technology markets, Fitch expects the venture to bring important R&D synergies for Nokia, while offering the venture the potential to exploit Nokia's extensive handset distribution relationships.
While as a wireless technology CDMA is smaller in scale than the dominant GSM (global system for mobile) standard, it is nevertheless estimated to account for around 20% of global sales. In a total market of between 780-810 million units in 2005, CDMA volumes of around 150-160 million handsets form a significant market opportunity, with this volume expected to grow in 2006. Nokia's focus on its core strengths in the GSM family of technologies - where it is the undisputed global market leader - has arguably lead to a lower emphasis in a technology with a significant prevalence in the US, Latin America and parts of Asia. The combination offers a good geographic fit, as well as bringing together Nokia's strengths in the entry level-mid tier with Sanyo's presence in the mid-high end category.
"This could be a good solution to a market where Nokia's position has been uncharacteristically low" said Stuart Reid, a Director in Fitch's European TMT group. "The joint venture approach has worked well for SonyEricsson. A successful combination of Nokia and Sanyo's CDMA businesses would form a strong player in the technology, with the venture claiming the number two slot in a market currently lead by South Korea's Samsung."
While the SonyEricsson joint venture was regarded with some circumspection when it was originally formed, it now achieves good levels of profitability and consistently vies for the market number four position. Fitch's believes this success could be replicated by the Nokia Sanyo venture, with Nokia's traditional CDMA strengths in Latin America and more recently in North America, complementing Sanyo's presence in Japan. Nokia currently has a strong CDMA market share in Brazil, India and China but has no representation in Japan, while Sanyo has only limited exposure to the North American carriers. The venture also offers a good technological fit, with Nokia's presence in the lower-end of the market complementing Sanyo's mid-high tier position.
While handset vendors tend not to break out sales by technology, Nokia is estimated to be the market number three in CDMA sales, while Sanyo's focus on its home market adds a strong Japanese complement but limited exposure elsewhere. Combined the venture is expected to have more than 20% of the CDMA market, which, as noted above, will rank it second in the market behind global CDMA leader Samsung.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-15-06 1152ET
GSM ASSOCIATION: GSMA trials to pave the way for global rollout of video
share Fifty companies involved in IMS/SIP trials across Europe, Asia & North
America
BARCELONA, Feb 15, 2006 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- The GSM Association (GSMA), in an initiative led by TeliaSonera, has begun interoperability trials on three continents to ensure that mobile users will be able to share video across networks. Successful completion of the trials, taking place in Europe, Asia and the U.S., will ensure that Video Share services work smoothly across networks and national boundaries right from launch.
The GSMA has brought together the world's leading telecom equipment makers, including Ericsson, LG, Lucent, Motorola, Nokia, NEC, Samsung, Siemens and Sony-Ericsson, for the trials to ensure that this service will work across as many mobile devices as possible. Other leading technology companies, such as Intel Corporation, are also participating in the trials.
"The GSMA's Video Share trials, which are due to be completed in the first half of 2006, will pave the way for the widespread launch of Video Share services across networks," said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technical Officer of the GSMA.
Video Share allows one of the participants in a voice call to send live video of what they are looking at to the other participant. Operators expect Video Share to be a highly popular service used by people to exchange everything from live video postcards on holiday to footage of a school sports day to video of a house for sale.
"We saw how interoperability contributed to the text messaging boom in the United States and expect it will do the same for video services," said Kris Rinne, Chief Technology Officer for Cingular Wireless.
The tests make use of a technology called IP* Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) to allow users to share video clips across both fixed and mobile networks in a fast and efficient way. IMS, which uses the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to initiate and manage connections, is a network architecture that many operators plan to use to deliver new services to mobile users. SIP enables customers of fixed-line operators and Internet Service Providers to easily connect with mobile users, significantly extending the footprint of all services being trialled.
"The GSMA trials of IMS/SIP based services are building the foundations for future high-performance service interoperability, which is key to the success of the next generation of communication services," said Alan Harper, Group Strategy Director at Vodafone.
The Video Share trials follow on from GSMA-led trials in 2005 that focused on ensuring the compatibility of operators' IMS networks. As part of this initiative, the GSMA has brought together 50 key players from the mobile network operator, GRX carriers** and vendor communities (see notes to editors for details). Originally begun in Europe, the trial expanded to Asia and subsequently to North America, with the inclusion of Cingular Wireless. These trials build on the successful approach already used to achieve greater MMS inter-operability.
As part of its trials in the fourth quarter of 2005, the GSMA also demonstrated the feasibility of using TEL URI*** as an addressing format for handsets. This format is key to ensuring the smooth delivery of these new multimedia services across networks because it allows the use of phone numbers to establish connections, such as a Video Share session. The trial included participants from Europe and Asia, demonstrating TEL URI can be used successfully across continents.
The GSMA Trials will continue throughout 2006, testing other multimedia services and IMS interoperability in diverse networks.
Supporting quotes:
"Orange is delighted to have actively participated in this trial. It has provided a tremendous amount of valuable information to prepare the commercial launches of IMS-based services. Many aspects have been covered from addressing, interoperability, IP interconnections principles leading to facilitate the deployment of these services from day one."
Philippe Lucas, Director of Standardisation, Orange
"The development enabled by the IMS/SIP Trials is forming the essential base for the take-up of new innovative services. As an innovation leader, we see that taking a leading role in the trials is important to expedite the development of this environment."
Hkan Dahlstrm, Group Vice President, TeliaSonera AB
"The GSMA-led video sharing trials facilitate interoperability tests to be conducted across different operators, carriers, platform providers and handset terminals. As the first operator to launch a video sharing service in Asia, we are pleased to share our experience and are confident that this GSMA trial on video sharing can quickly promote the interconnections between operators across the world."
Richard Midgett, Director of International & Wholesale, Hong Kong CSL Limited.
Notes to editors
*IP - Internet Protocol
**GRX Carriers transmit data traffic between mobile phone networks.
***TEL URI is a phone number, which is mapped to a SIP URI, which is a unique address used for SIP based applications such as Video Share, Push to Talk over Cellular etc.
The following companies are involved in the trials
Operators
* China Mobile
* Cingular Wireless
* CTM
* FarEasTone
* Globe Telecom
* Hong Kong CSL
* Hutchinson Telecom
* KPN Mobile
* MobileOne
* O2
* Orange
* SFR
* Singtel Mobile
* SK Telecom
* Smart Communications
* SmarTone-Vodafone
* Sunday
* Telecom Italia Mobile
* Telefonica Moviles
* Telenor Mobile
* TeliaSonera
* TMN Portugal
* Vodafone
Vendors (Terminals & IMS Systems)
* Alcatel
* Ericsson
* Huawei
* Intel Corporation
* LGE
* Lucent
* Motorola
* NEC
* Nokia
* Samsung
* Siemens
* SonyEricsson
Carriers (IPX and GRX service suppliers)
* Aicent
* Belgacom
* Cable & Wireless
* CITIC 1616
* Ericsson
* France Telecom
* Infocom
* KPN
* NexTone
* Newport Networks
* PT Comunicaes (PTC)
* Telecom Italia Sparkle
* Telenor Global Services
* TeliaSonera International Carrier
Root DNS Provider
* NeuStar
About the GSM Association:
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing more than 680 GSM mobile phone operators across 213 countries of the world. In addition, more than 150 manufacturers and suppliers support the Association's initiatives as key partners.
The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The Association's members serve more than 1.6 billion customers - 78% of the world's mobile phone users.
CONTACT: Mark Smith, GSM Association Tel: +44 (0)7850 229 724 e-mail: press@gsm.org David Pringle, GSM Association Tel: +44 (0)795 755 6069 e-mail: dpringle@gsm.org
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
-0-
=DJ UPDATE: NTP Filing:Up To RIM To Implement BlackBerry Ban
(Adds comment from RIM in paragraph 11.)
By Stuart Weinberg Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TORONTO (Dow Jones)--The burden of complying with a potential BlackBerry ban in the U.S. rests with Research In Motion Ltd. (RIMM), and the company has the means to comply, NTP Inc. said in a court filing Monday.
Research In Motion, or RIM, also "misled" the government about information available to it to distinguish between government and non-government BlackBerry users, the filing said.
The filing was a response to a U.S. Department of Justice filing submitted Feb. 1 to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. In that filing, the DOJ said that NTP, a Virginia patent concern, should file a specific plan that details how BlackBerry service to U.S. government users would continue should a ban be implemented. U.S. government users would be exempt if a ban is ordered.
RIM, maker of the BlackBerry email device, faces a possible ban on sales and service of the popular device in the U.S. due to a previous infringement finding against it in its long-running patent dispute with NTP. Judge James Spencer, the Virginia court judge presiding over the case, is scheduled to hear arguments on an injunction on Feb. 24. A decision is expected soon after.
Last week, RIM confirmed it has modified its email-delivery system to work around NTP's patents. Should a ban be ordered, the Waterloo, Ont. firm indicated it would shift users to the new system, called BlackBerry Multi-Mode Edition.
RIM has about 3 million BlackBerry subscribers in the U.S., with as many as one-third covered by a government exemption, according to the DOJ's Feb. 1 filing. The DOJ indicated in that filing that it's not convinced about the feasibility of a ban. It requested a "period of discovery" to assure that authorized BlackBerry users won't be impeded by a ban, as well as an evidentiary hearing to consider how the exemption can be implemented without causing a substantial burden to federal, state and local governments.
In its response, NTP said it "strongly opposes" the DOJ's requests for an evidentiary hearing and period of discovery. Issues related to the implementation of an exemption are both legally and factually "the exclusive province of RIM, the carriers who contract with RIM to provide its infringing service and RIM's affected customers," the filing said.
Filing Says RIM Misled Government
NTP also questioned whether an exemption is still necessary to address the government's concerns, given RIM's workaround announcement last week. "If RIM is to be taken at its word regarding the alleged non-infringing status (of its workaround), there is no threat of service interruption and no reason to impose the delay and burden of extraordinary exception implementation proceedings on NTP and the court," the filing said.
As for the feasibility of a ban, NTP said it believes RIM can comply and that it "misled the government about the information available to RIM to identify exempted" users. For instance, in a Nov. 8, 2005 declaration to the government, RIM used "carefully crafted language" that didn't indicate that RIM maintains a database through which it can readily identify RIM's servers and the customers that use those servers. "RIM took advantage of the government's unfamiliarity with the BlackBerry system and inability to independently assess the accuracy and completeness of RIM's statements," the filing said. "RIM's efforts to mislead the government cannot constitute the basis for another lengthy discovery period."
Even if RIM couldn't distinguish between government and non-government users, the compilation by the government of a white list of authorized users is feasible, the filing said. "The government paid thousands of dollars for each BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server) and pays an ongoing $40/month from the public's hard-earned tax dollars," the filing said. "It would shock the General Accounting Office to learn that such money is being expended without any mechanism for identifying the expenditures."
DOJ officials had no immediate comment but said they would file a response on Thursday. In an email, RIM Vice-President of Coporate Marketing Mark Guibert said, "RIM intends to file a response to set the record straight since NTP has presented diversionary, misleading, incomplete and inaccurate information."
NTP reiterated its request for an immediate injunction on new BlackBerry sales, noting that RIM is selling more than 7,000 devices each day. RIM and its carrier partners can readily comply with such an order, the filing said.
Should the judge comply with this request, RIM would likely seek an immediate stay of the injunction from the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. It would also presumably put the workaround into effect immediately. NTP is expected to challenge the workaround by filing a motion for contempt of court. If the motion is granted, the leverage would fall heavily in its favor. If it's not, leverage would swing to RIM, assuming the workaround works as advertised.
As the legal dispute unfolds and both sides maneuver for position, the U.S. Patent and Trademark's review of the five disputed NTP patents continues. So far, the PTO has rejected all claims in all five patents in preliminary and secondary reviews. Final rejections are expected shortly, though NTP can appeal, a process that may extend beyond the conclusion of the legal proceedings. RIM is hoping Judge Spencer takes the PTO's review into consideration when deciding on a ban. NTP is betting the judge will ignore the review and order a ban.
What neither side seems inclined to do at this point is settle the case.
Company Web Site: http://www.rim.com -Stuart Weinberg, Dow Jones Newswires; 416-306-2026; stuart.weinberg@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-14-06 1516ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
*DJ QUALCOMM Obtains Court Order That Broadcom Must Remove Two Of Its Patents From ITC Action>QCOM
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-08-06 0730ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
*DJ Qualcomm: Broadcom Can't Prosecute Claims In ITC Action
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-08-06 0732ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
*DJ Qualcomm: Crt Rules Dispute Must Be Litigated In San Diego
(MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires
02-08-06 0738ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE: QUALCOMM Obtains Court Order that Broadcom Must Remove Two of Its Patents from ITC Action
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and other advanced wireless technologies, today announced that on February 6, 2006 the Federal District Court in San Diego permanently enjoined Broadcom from prosecuting infringement claims against QUALCOMM under two of its patents in International Trade Commission (ITC) proceedings initiated last year by Broadcom. The court ruled that a long-standing agreement between QUALCOMM and Broadcom requires that the dispute as to the two patents must be litigated in San Diego.
Broadcom claims that the two patents relate to Bluetooth technology implemented in cell phones and cellular systems. In 2001, Broadcom and QUALCOMM entered into an agreement concerning Bluetooth technology which provided that any disputes relating to the agreement must be litigated in a San Diego court. In May 2005, Broadcom initiated patent infringement claims against QUALCOMM in both the ITC in Washington, D.C. and in federal court in Santa Ana, California, alleging that activities undertaken by QUALCOMM in connection with the agreement amounted to infringement of the two patents. QUALCOMM's reply denied infringement and pointed out that the accused activities were permitted under the companies' agreement in any event. When QUALCOMM attempted to move the disputes to San Diego as the agreement required, Broadcom sought an order from the Santa Ana court prohibiting QUALCOMM from proceeding in San Diego. The Santa Ana court eventually transferred its case to San Diego.
"Broadcom has long resisted bringing this dispute to the agreed-upon forum, San Diego," said Alex Rogers, vice president and legal counsel, QUALCOMM. "We are gratified by the courts' enforcement of the provisions of the agreement."
Broadcom has indicated its intention to appeal the injunction. Trial in the ITC action is set to begin next week. Three other Broadcom patents at issue in the ITC proceedings are not impacted by the injunction. Two patent infringement lawsuits by QUALCOMM against Broadcom are already proceeding in San Diego. The lawsuits accuse Broadcom's GSM, WiFi and video encoder chips of infringing a total of nine QUALCOMM patents.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2005 FORTUNE 500(R) company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R) under the ticker symbol QCOM.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the Company's ability to successfully design and have manufactured significant quantities of CDMA components on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which CDMA is deployed, change in economic conditions of the various markets the Company serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 25, 2005, and most recent Form 10-Q.
QUALCOMM is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
QUALCOMM Contacts: Christine Trimble, Corporate Communications Phone: 1-858-651-3628 Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com Bill Davidson, Investor Relations Phone: 1-858-658-4813 Email: ir@qualcomm.com SOURCE QUALCOMM Incorporated
/CONTACT: Christine Trimble, Corporate Communications, +1-858-651-3628, corpcomm@qualcomm.com, or Bill Davidson, Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4813, ir@qualcomm.com, both of QUALCOMM Incorporated
/Web site: http://www.qualcomm.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-08-06 0744ET
Wireless industry pushes TV for your cell phone
Slew of announcements at 3GSM ushers in new era for multimedia to go
In addition to being a cell phone, the N92 is truly a portable multimedia center.
TECH TRANSLATED Mobile and wireless
• 3G
• 802.20
• Bluetooth
• CDMA
• EDGE
• EV-DO
• GIS
• GPS
• GSM
• iDEN
• PCS
• TDMA
• Wi-Fi
• WiMAX
3G is an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specification for the third-generation mobile communications technology that was created for high-speed transfer of data and multimedia content, such as video, downloads, music and interactive games. 3G aims to increase bandwidth up to 384 Kbps when a device is stationary or moving at pedestrian speed, 128 Kbps in a car, and 2 Mbps in fixed applications. 3G will work over wireless air interfaces, such as GSM, TDMA, and CDMA. The new EDGE service was developed specifically to meet the bandwidth needs of 3G.
Gary Krakow
Columnist
BARCELONA, Spain — Calling Dick Tracy. The day is coming when your TV will not only fit in the palm of your hand but will allow you to watch the programs you want when you want — from anywhere your cell phone will receive a signal. And a huge number of companies at this year's 3GSM World Congress trade show want that day to come very, very soon.
In fact, they're all but betting the bank on it. They may not agree on exactly when the technology will be embraced (or how, or which one) but they’re all sure that watching television on your cell phone will be the next driving force in the wireless industry.
The 3GSM show is all about current and future international cellular phone standards. GSM (for phone calls), GPRS (for data) are considered second generation and 2.5 generation standards. The faster data EDGE is called 2.75G. The new, very fast HSDPA is being termed by some experts a 3.5G standard.
HSDPA, which stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, is just beginning to deploy, but it's already in a fight with other next-generation standards such as CDMA2000, UMTS/W-CDMA and EV-DO, which are based on the favorite U.S. cell phone standard CDMA.
HSDPA is currently being rolled out in Europe and it’s on the verge of being deployed in North America. Cingular is promising the new high-speed service to be up and running in their top 100 U.S. markets by the end of 2006. Rogers Wireless of Canada has also announced their plans for HSDPA rollout this year. EV-DO, which stands for Evolution-Data Optimized, has been available in the United States for a little more than a year. Verizon Wireless and Sprint are its main proponents.
The faster the connection the better the multimedia capabilities — and that means better looking wireless video for cell phones. So, it’s no surprise that there have been a slew of announcements at 3GSM this year concerning cell phone video. Just a few to ponder:
Virgin Mobile announced it was launching a live TV service for cell phones in cooperation with BT Group, the first of its kind in Europe.
MobiTV and IPWireless announced they’re developing solutions for cellular operators to migrate subscribers to TDtv — a system which allows an infinite number of customers to watch the same channel or use the same network space.
InterVideo showed off its latest handset software running on advanced processors that includes live TV streaming on mobile phones and GPS devices.
PacketVideo showcased live broadcast TV — including the first public demonstration of Texas Instrument’s Hollywood mobile DTV single-chip processors.
IPWireless also announced that Sprint will be the first operator globally to test the next generation of mobile broadband technology. The testing will be part of the ongoing UMTS TD-CDMA trial in the Washington, D.C area.
Of course, none of this comes easily. At the moment there are a number of different standards being proposed to get mobile video into your hand. That’s why handset maker Samsung is hedging its bets.
Here at 3GSM, Samsung has introduced seven new handsets with mobile-TV functionality. The devices are compatible with four different mobile TV broadcasting systems: the Nokia-backed DVB-H standard, Qualcomm’s MediaFLO, and both the terrestrial and satellite-delivered variants of DMB (already in use in Korea).
CONTINUED: Nokia's impressive TV system
Nokia's impressive TV system
This is the second time I’ve been able to watch Nokia’s mobile TV system via their special new cellular handset. I’m happy to report that once again I’ve come away from the experience very, very impressed.
The N92 is Nokia’s first-ever mobile TV device dedicated to viewing and storing mobile broadcast content, as well as accessing interactive services. In addition to being a cell phone, the N92 is truly a portable multimedia center. Nokia calls the capability “watch and record TV on the go.”
It has an impressive 2.8-inch, QVGA (320 by 240 pixels) screen. There are 4-way media keys on the device which handle the built-in FM stereo radio, TV, video and music functions. The handset also sports stereo speakers, MP3/AAC/WMA music file support, 802.11g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a 2 megapixel camera.
The N92 is also a cell phone. The device operates on the GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900 MHz bands as well as the WCDMA 2100 MHz band. The battery allows for up to four hours of talk or watch time before needing recharging.
I particularly love the fact that the Nokia has an electronic programming guide — similar to what you might have on your home cable/satellite system. Can’t wait for the day when I program my home TV to record one show while I’m recording/watching something else on my cell phone.
Nokia
Nokia 7710 is another example of how cell phones will take on different shapes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The phones being displayed here at 3GSM are not futuristic, science-fiction-based pipe dreams. These phones are for real. They are what multimedia devices will look like in the near future. The N92 is slated for release later this year. Mobile TV handsets may not take the exact same shape or form factor as current phones (see the photo of the Nokia 7710 for another example of this), but a number of future cell phone designs will be able to do a lot more than make/receive calls.
In original testing in Nokia homeland of Finland, the video service was offered for 5 euros ($6) per month for all the video you wanted to watch. I hope it’s offered at similar prices by the time it gets to the United States. It’s fun to test these hot, new cellular features but I’m not sure how much I would pay for the experience. How many users would be willing to pay exorbitant video fees — fees that might rival your monthly cable bill? That’s something cellular carriers must consider.
Until these new features are ready for use in the United States, I’ll stick with my current cell phone video solution. I’ve been playing with the soon-to-be-released Slingbox player software for Windows Mobile 5.0 smart phones. I have to tell you, being able to watch local hometown news, weather and sports highlights on your cell phone when you’re thousands of miles from home is very, very addictive.
© 2006 MSNBC Interactive
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11345651/from/RS.1/
=DJ INTERVIEW: Philips Semi CEO To Push Forward Realignment
By Joon Knapen
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
BARCELONA (Dow Jones)--Royal Philips Electronics NV (PHG) will push forward the realignment of its semiconductor arm this year at top speed, a top executive said Tuesday, as it readies the business for a possible sale or listing.
In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Frans van Houten, chief executive of Philips Semiconductor, said he is particularly proud of the improvement in earnings seen in the third and fourth quarters. The realignment "is on track ... and will go full-force ahead" in 2006, he said.
Since the 45-year-old Dutch executive took over the CEO position at Philips Semiconductors in November 2004, he has implemented a large overhaul. Under van Houten the unit has slashed costs and realigned the four business units - automotive and identification, mobile and personal, home, and multi-market semiconductors.
In December, Philips announced the next step, unveiling plans to separate the semiconductors division into a new company. The move will give it more flexibility for pursuing other strategic options, including a merger, sale or listing. The separation is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2006.
Philips aims for the unit to reach an operating profit margin at the high-end of the 5% and 15% range in 2007, as the industry is expected to grow at a mid-single-digit rate in 2006 and a double-digit pace in 2007.
An increasingly large number of industry analysts say the historic annual growth rates of 12% in the semiconductor industry are in the past. Van Houten agrees, saying that he anticipates the industry will grow "at an average of high single digits annually, with only some segments recording double-digit growth rates."
Van Houten declined to speculate on what strategic direction lies ahead for the unit, but said that Philips aims to be "at the forefront" of possible future European chip industry consolidation.
He confirmed that Philips "has engaged a financial advisor" to explore future options, but declined to identify. People familiar with the matter have told Dow Jones Newswires that U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley has bagged the advisory job.
Regarding mobile phone businesses, van Houten said that Philips has recently launched its own mobile phone, dubbed UMA, that can also make calls via Voice-over IP through Wireless LAN networks, a so-called converged product.
"We have actually found a customer in the U.S. for this product," van Houten said, without identifying the party.
Finland's Nokia Corp. (NOK) said earlier this week that it foresees growth in these converged products that can roam on the traditional mobile phone networks as well as on other wireless networks such as Wireless LAN.
Philips has also finished its own third-generation mobile phone platform. "That is available from now on," said van Houten, adding that the company "already has found three customers" for it.
A mobile phone platform is the internal system of the mobile phone. U.S. firm Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) and Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY) of Sweden are among the leading 3G mobile platform makers. Another rival, Germany's Infineon Technologies AG (IFX), announced earlier this week that it has signed on Panasonic as its first customer for its 3G mobile phone platform.
Van Houten, who previously worked at Philips' consumer electronics business before shifting to semiconductors, said in an interview at the 3GSM telecoms industry conference that he enjoyed his first 15 months on the job, and that he liked "the depth and the dynamics of the semiconductor industry."
Van Houten - seen by some Philips analysts as a possible candidate for taking the helm at the Amsterdam-based electronics conglomerate once Chief Executive Gerard Kleisterlee retires - said he "is very committed to semiconductors."
Company Web site: http://www.philips.com
-By Joon Knapen, Dow Jones Newswires; +49-69-29725509; joon.knapen@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
02-14-06 1335ET
Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.