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RACAL INSTRUMENTS: Mobile and base station manufacturers reduce down-time
and costs using Racal Instruments' on-site calibration service
Jun 03, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Increasing numbers of mobile & base station manufacturers are taking advantage of Racal Instruments' on-site calibration service for its 2.5G range of test equipment reducing the down-time of their equipment to a few hours compared with a minimum of a week turnaround for off-site calibration. Down-time of test equipment is costly - resulting in lowered production or more often requiring investment in 'spare' test equipment to act as replacements.
Graham Botwright, Racal Instruments' customer service manager commented, "We are finding the demand for on-site calibration particularly high for our test equipment being used in mobile handset and base station production where any down-time incurs costs. On-site calibration means that manufacturers no longer need to invest in spare equipment, calibration planning is simplified and the administration for overseas customers filling out complex customs documentation, together with the associated shipping costs, is a thing of the past".
Calibration of test equipment using Racal Instrument's unique PTS software, which is only available to our Approved service Agents, plays a vital role in maintaining production quality and confidence in the manufacturing process. The calibration service, which may include contract repairs, is carried out by some of Racal's most senior engineers and a test can be calibrated on-site typically in two to three hours.
Racal has a global network of service centres which have already delivered on-site calibration in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the USA.
Notes to editors
Racal Instruments, with over 800 employees and sales of $120 million designs, manufactures and sells electronic test and measurement equipment and systems to leading high-technology customers throughout the world. It has service centres in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, India, PRC, Hong Kong, Korea, Finland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, plus a sales and support network in over 80 countries. The Wireless Solutions Group designs and manufactures a range of test and measurement equipment for parametric and protocol testing of mobiles, base stations and networks in design, installation and repair. UMTS, cdmaOne, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, GSM, GPRS and EDGE technologies are all covered.
CONTACT: Racal Helpdesk Tel: +44 (0)8706 080134 e-mail: helpdesk@racalinst.co.uk WWW: http://www.racalinstruments.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)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
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NTT DoCoMo to Start Trial of Online Payments Service
Tokyo, Japan, Jun 03, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (TSE: 9437) and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today a trial payments service to enable customers using mova(TM) 2G and FOMA(TM) 3G handsets to enjoy on-line shopping at a dedicated portal site and receive bills for purchases together with their monthly mobile phone invoices. The trial will begin June 26 and last about six months, after which commercial services are planned to start.
Initially, three virtual shops will be offering GPS services, such as tracking and emergency-related services, with an additional five stores joining from September. In total, about 20 virtual shops selling such items as fashion goods, groceries and flowers will be participating in the trial. The online shopping portal site can be accessed at http://dcmm.jp/ (Japanese only).
Users are required to register in advance for the service via the official i-mode portal site. The service is free and users are only required to pay packet transmission charges. During the trial, purchases between 1,000 yen (minimum) and 10,000 yen per month will be accepted.
The payment service is available only for individual, not corporate, subscribers of mova 2G or FOMA 3G i-mode services.
NTT DoCoMo expects the new payment service, available to over 38 million
i-mode users, to help stimulate mobile e-commerce growth.
i-mode and FOMA are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo,Inc. in Japan and other countries.
mova is a registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan.
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 44 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode(R), the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 35 million subscribers, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and North and South America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (TSE: 9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.
Source: NTT DoCoMo
Contact:
NTT DoCoMoInternational PR, Public Relations Departmentpress_dcm@nttdocomo.com+81 3 5156 1366
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
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DJ Qualcomm (QCOM) Block: 388,100 Shrs At 33.24
QUALCOMM INC. Last trade NMS: -0.11 at 33.24 on 0.15 downtick Trade vol: 388,100 = 16.0% ttl vol. Ttl blk vol: 1,249,700 = 51.4% ttl vol.Block equals 0.2% shrs out Avg blk vol: 2,792,518 = 18.6% avg daily vol Ttl vol: 2,430,604 = 16.2% avg daily vol Avg daily vol:14,995,605 / Prev day -0.20 on 16,423,872
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-03-03 0945ET
PRESS RELEASE: Apple Unveils QuickTime 6.3 >AAPL
Apple Announces QuickTime 6.3 with Support for 3GPP QuickTime 6 Downloads Top 100 Million
CUPERTINO, Calif., June 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Apple(R) (Nasdaq: AAPL) today announced QuickTime(R) 6.3, the industry's first mainstream solution to support the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standard and to deliver a foundation for the creation, delivery and playback of rich multimedia content over wireless networks. Building on the success of QuickTime 6, which surpassed 100 million downloads in less than 10 months, QuickTime 6.3 enables users to share high-quality video, audio and text on a new generation of wireless devices including cell phones and PDAs. QuickTime 6.3 delivers extensive support for the 3GPP standard, including Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) and Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio, MPEG-4 and H.263 video, 3G Text (TX3G) and native .3gp file format support.
"QuickTime's support of open standards like MPEG-4 and 3GPP now make it the best technology for creating and deploying content in the wireless world," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "QuickTime 6.3 delivers the first 3GPP content creation and playback software and extends our industry leading support of open standards beyond the desktop into the mobile market."
"NTT DoCoMo's FOMA is the standards-based 3G service which allows users to enjoy "i-motion" video clip distribution and "i-motion mail" video clip email service," said Takeshi Natsuno, Managing Director of NTT DoCoMo's i-mode Planning Department. "We are thrilled that QuickTime 6.3 has made standards-based content creation and desktop playback a reality for NTT DoCoMo subscribers that can now share personal movies captured on their phones with friends and family on Mac and PCs."
"Nokia welcomes the release of QuickTime 6.3, featuring support for 3GPP codecs and formats," said Janne Juhola, senior technology manager, Multimedia Technologies, Nokia. "Our company is strongly committed to the creation of an ecosystem in which open standards ensure interoperability across a wide range of device categories, networks, services and applications. Nokia believes the inclusion of 3GPP support in QuickTime creates a wealth of exciting new opportunities for both desktop and mobile phone users."
Extending the reach of multimedia to a new generation of wireless devices, QuickTime 6.3 support for 3GPP delivers high-quality video, audio and text for use in end-to-end, standards-based content delivery solutions. The high-performance MPEG-4 video codec and the time-tested H.263 video codec both provide excellent results at low data rates. The modern AAC audio codec delivers exceptional quality music at a broad range of data rates while AMR provides narrowband audio encoding designed specifically for speech. 3G Text support in QuickTime 6.3 is time-based for accurate synchronization of titling and captioning with audio and video tracks.
Additional QuickTime 6.3 features include automatic streaming transport detection for a more reliable streaming experience, improvements to DV audio and video synchronization and enhanced support for Apple's Keynote(TM), iMovie(TM) and iDVD(TM) applications. QuickTime 6.3 is available immediately as a free download for Mac(R) and Windows users at www.apple.com/quicktime.
QuickTime is Apple's industry-leading, standards-based software for developing, producing and delivering high-quality audio and video over IP, wireless and broadband networks. As the platform of choice for content creators worldwide, QuickTime delivers the full media experience for thousands of unique software titles and enhanced music CDs. QuickTime was chosen by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) as the base file format for MPEG-4 and is at the core of the 3GPP standard.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings.
NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh, Mac, Mac OS, QuickTime, Keynote, iMovie and iDVD are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
"i-mode" is a trademark or registered trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries. FOMA and i-motion are trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan. NTT DoCoMo's "FOMA" and "i-motion" service are only available to subscribers in Japan.
SOURCE Apple Computer, Inc. /NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple's PR web site ( http://www.apple.com/pr/ ) or call Apple's Media Helpline at 408-974-2042./ /CONTACT: Bill Evans, +1-408-974-0610, or bevans@apple.com, or Stefan Offermann, +1-408-974-6633, or stefan@apple.com, both of Apple/ /Web site: http://www.apple.com / (AAPL) CO: Apple Computer, Inc. ST: California IN: CPR HRD STW CSE TLS MLM SU: PDT
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-03-03 0832ET
NORTEL NETWORKS: Midwest Wireless launches 3G Wireless Data Network using
Nortel Networks solution CDMA2000 to enable next generation services in
Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin
MANKATO, Minn., Jun 03, 2003 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Midwest Wireless announced the commercial launch of the first phase of its third generation (3G) CDMA2000 1X wireless network based on an infrastructure solution from Nortel Networks* [NYSE/TSX: NT].
This deployment spans 68 counties in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. More than 50 percent of Midwest Wireless' total operational area is now enabled with CDMA2000 1X technology, constituting more than two-thirds of the population served.
The remainder of Midwest Wireless' network is expected to be 1X-enabled by the end of 2003. The CDMA2000 1X Wireless Data Network positions Midwest Wireless to boost network capacity to accommodate a greater number of voice calls. CDMA2000 1X can double voice capacity and support wireless data speeds of up to 153 Kbps, roughly 10 times faster than rates available through circuit-based technology. The network also positions Midwest Wireless to expand its line of sophisticated wireless services, including advanced data features for e-mail access and mobile Web browsing.
"As a regional provider, we're committed to bringing the very latest wireless services to the individuals who live and work in the Greater Midwest," said Dennis Miller, president and chief executive officer, Midwest Wireless. "We're excited to deploy this next generation network, which will open up a new world of wireless services to our customers and enhance their lives through expanded communication options."
"Our networking solutions boost capacity, create efficiencies that can help reduce operating costs, and enable advanced new voice and data service offerings" said Steve Slattery, president and general manager, CDMA/TDMA, Wireless Networks, Nortel Networks.
"The network launched today with Midwest Wireless rivals the capabilities of any major metro area."
Nortel Networks was originally selected by Midwest Wireless in September 2002 to supply CDMA2000 1X radio access and Internet Protocol (IP) core infrastructure equipment. Network deployments began in the fourth quarter of last year, and are expected to continue through 2003. The CDMA2000 1X deployment is part of a nine-year relationship between the two companies. Nortel Networks previously supplied TDMA network equipment to Midwest Wireless. Products from Nortel Networks Univity* Wireless Data Network portfolio deployed for Midwest Wireless include Univity CDMA Metro Cell radio base station (BTS), Univity CDMA Base Station Controller (BSC), and Univity CDMA Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) equipment.
Nortel Networks Univity CDMA technology is designed to maximize existing customer investments in spectrum and infrastructure, to accommodate subscriber growth, and to help service providers drive down capital and operating costs. A leader in CDMA since 1995, Nortel Networks has designed and deployed CDMA networks over varying terrain and population densities for more than 65 operators across 17 countries, including more than 35,000 3G-ready base stations. Based in Mankato, Minn., Midwest Wireless is a leading wireless services provider, with nearly 300,000 customers. The company's wireless phone service offerings include ClearlyDigital and Realm. Midwest Wireless is also a pioneer in the development of wireless data and Internet access technologies, including ClearWave, their fixed wireless broadband service that wirelessly delivers high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses. The company's new CDMA2000 1X network will complement this service by also offering up to 153K Internet access while mobile.
More information on Midwest Wireless is available at www.midwestwireless.com.
Nortel Networks is an industry leader and innovator focused on transforming how the world communicates and exchanges information. The Company is supplying its service provider and enterprise customers with communications technology and infrastructure to enable value-added IP data, voice and multimedia services spanning Wireless Networks, Wireline Networks, Enterprise Networks, and Optical Networks. As a global company, Nortel Networks does business in more than 150 countries. More information about Nortel Networks can be found on the Web at www.nortelnetworks.com.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the severity and duration of the industry adjustment; the sufficiency of our restructuring activities, including the potential for higher actual costs to be incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; fluctuations in operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; the ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in cash flow, the level of outstanding debt and debt ratings; the ability to meet financial covenants contained in our credit agreements; the ability to make acquisitions and/or integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; the dependence on new product development; the uncertainties of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of our customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; stock market volatility; the entrance into an increased number of supply and outsourcing contracts which contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the ability to obtain timely, adequate and reasonably priced component parts from suppliers and internal manufacturing capacity; the future success of our strategic alliances; and the adverse resolution of litigation. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the reports filed by Nortel Networks with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel Networks disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
* Nortel Networks, the Nortel Networks logo, the Globemark and Univity are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
CONTACT: Jay Barta, Nortel Networks Tel: +1 972 685 2381 e-mail: jbarta@nortelnetworks.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)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD
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Kyodo economic news summary
TOKYO, Jun 03, 2003 (Kyodo via COMTEX) --
- S. Korea-Japan FTA talks may not start this year: Yoon
SEOUL - South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yoon Young Kwan said Tuesday it may be difficult for his government and Japan's to begin talks within the year on signing a free trade agreement (FTA).
"We need to undergo the process of gathering public opinion to build consensus and holding talks among industries. And I believe we have not yet reached the stage," Yoon said in an interview with Kyodo News.
- METI to start esthetic-services certification system in 2006
TOKYO - The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) plans to launch a certification system for the esthetic services industry in 2006 in a bid to ensure quality of services and prevent consumer-related trouble, ministry officials said Tuesday.
A METI panel studying the matter has compiled a report calling for the establishment of an independent organization as early as next April which will officially certify each beauty treatment clinic providing esthetic services, the officials said.
- Intel to invest $100 mil. in DRAM maker Elpida
TOKYO - U.S. chip maker Intel Corp. has agreed to invest $100 million (12 billion yen) in Elpida Memory Inc., the sole Japanese producer of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips, in return for non-voting stock, the two companies said Tuesday.
Elpida, owned equally by Hitachi Ltd. and NEC Corp., plans to use the proceeds from the investment and other intended financing to significantly boost production at its DRAM wafer fabrication plant in Hiroshima Prefecture, they said.
- Panel wants less restrictions on sales of ex-U.S. sites
TOKYO - An advisory panel to the finance minister approved in principle Tuesday a plan to ease restrictions on the sales of former U.S. armed forces sites in Japan that have been returned to the country, panel members said.
The plan, aimed at promoting the sales of such land from the central government to local governments, was outlined in a draft report approved by a subcommittee of the Ministry of Finance Fiscal System Council on the same day.
- Volkswagen to release convertible model of New Beetle
NAGOYA - Volkswagen Group Japan K.K. will release the New Beetle Cabriolet, the convertible version of the New Beetle passenger car, for 3.33 million yen on June 14, company officials said Tuesday.
Sales are targeted at 1,000 units for the current business year.
- Subscribers to KDDI's 3G mobile phone service top 8 mil.
TOKYO - The number of subscribers to the "au" third-generation (3G) mobile phone service offered by KDDI Corp. and Okinawa Cellular Telephone Co., a KDDI ally, has topped 8 million, the companies said Tuesday.
The 3G service, called "CDMA2000 1x," allows high-speed data transmissions.
- EU farm subsidy reform may help to move WTO farm talks
KHON KAEN, Thailand - Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Supachai Panitchpakdi suggested Tuesday that reform of the European Union (EU) Common Agriculture Policy, expected to be later this month, could help move forward WTO negotiations on farm trade liberalization.
Supachai in northeastern Thailand to discuss trade with ministers from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
2003 Kyodo News (c) Established 1945
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Marconi Partners With CoManage to Deliver Network Inventory Data
Integrity Solution to Wireless Carriers
DALLAS and PITTSBURGH, Jun 3, 2003 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Marconi Corporation plc (London: MONI) today announced that its Wireless Business Unit has entered into a global reseller agreement with CoManage Corporation. Under terms of the agreement, Marconi will market the CoManage TrueSource solution to wireless service providers worldwide. The TrueSource network inventory data integrity solution dramatically improves the effectiveness and utilization of network resources and the efficiency of provisioning and managing new services on 2G, 2.5G and 3G networks.
Industry experts estimate network inventory systems and asset management systems are typically 20-40% inaccurate. This results in millions of dollars in stranded assets and capacity and creates numerous problems for service fulfillment and assurance processes. In fact, poor data integrity in Operations Support System (OSS) databases is often a stumbling block that prevents carriers from reducing operations costs and improving service profitability. CoManage's award-winning solution, TrueSource, combats these inaccuracies, serving as the industry's first integrated network discovery and reconciliation engine that improves and maintains the data integrity of OSS databases by synchronizing them with the actual physical and logical network.
TrueSource provides Network-Driven(TM) Data Integrity, recapturing lost resources and stranded capacity, improving provisioning success and troubleshooting, and fighting revenue leakage. TrueSource enhances Marconi's portfolio of industry-leading OSS products such as Planet, CEOS and Planet NOVA. In addition to these mission-critical products, Marconi offers consulting services to help wireless operators accelerate the maximization of their network investments and deployment of new technology.
"Marconi's heritage in providing network engineering services to its large wireless customer base, combined with the TrueSource data integrity solution from CoManage, allows organizations to address the network data integrity problem head on," says Karl Whitelock, Program Director for Stratecast Partners OSS Competitive Strategies and Analysis service. "The complexities of the mobile Internet -- utilization of network resources combined with content information from multiple sources -- are forcing operators to align their systems capabilities much more closely with an increasing list of customer service needs. Of most significance, will be an always-accurate view of what resources are being used and what capacity/capabilities are available."
"Today, a carrier's financial health is directly linked to its operational health, and improved data integrity is a critical component of efficient operations. We are thrilled to partner with Marconi, a leader in innovative solutions, to help wireless operators better manage their operations costs and maximize the value of their infrastructure," said Razi Imam, vice president of marketing and alliance strategy for CoManage. "The combination of CoManage's product value with Marconi's vast experience and reputation as a leader in the wireless industry will result in a very valuable offering for wireless service providers."
"The current state of the industry and the related expectations of improving efficiencies and financial performance make TrueSource an essential carrier tool and strategy," said Chip Wagner, head of Marconi's wireless business unit. "Wireless networks have expanded at an exponential rate, while network inventory strategies and data integrity issues have not been adequately addressed. The result is a staggering amount of deployed capital and capacity that is underutilized or unknown. This solution enables an immediate and significant capex and opex reduction, a top-of-mind issue for wireless operators."
Learn more about the Marconi Wireless and CoManage wireless data integrity solution. Visit Booth 20717 at SUPERCOMM 2003, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA, June 3-5.
About CoManage
CoManage Corporation (http://www.comanage.net), based in Pittsburgh, Pa., is the first supplier of Network-Driven Data Integrity Systems, helping carriers improve the accuracy of data in their existing operations support systems (OSSs) for more profitable service delivery. CoManage TrueSource is the first system providing network and service auto-discovery, discrepancy management and reconciliation. The system recovers lost network equipment, prevents revenue leakage and improves the success rate of operations processes, including provisioning.
CoManage's industry-leading solutions have been selected by Tier 1 carriers and have captured numerous awards, including the top prizes in new telecom management software in the SUPERQuest awards competition and the OSS Excellence awards competition. More information on CoManage and its products is available at http://www.comanage.net, or by calling 1-877-COMANAGE or 1-412-318-6000.
About Marconi Corporation plc
Marconi Corporation plc is a global telecommunications equipment, services and solutions company. The company's core business is the provision of innovative and reliable optical networks, broadband routing and switching and broadband access technologies and services. The company's customer base includes many of the world's largest telecommunications operators.
The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol MONI. Additional information about Marconi Corporation can be found at www.marconi.com.
All rights reserved. All brands or product names are trademarks of their respective holders.
Network-Driven is a trademark of CoManage Corporation.
This press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to products, partners, customers, future growth and other matters. Please refer to the Form 20-F report and Form 6-K reports filed by Marconi Corporation plc with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for a discussion of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from such statements.
Press enquiries: Marconi: Jane Betters, tel: +1 972 669 6320; email: jane.betters@marconi.com CoManage: Adam Boone, tel: +1 412 318 6041; email: adamb@comanage.net
SOURCE Marconi Corporation plc
CONTACT: Marconi: Jane Betters, +1-972-669-6320, jane.betters@marconi.com; or CoManage: Adam Boone, +1-412-318-6041, adamb@comanage.netURL: http://www.comanage.net http://www.marconi.com http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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ProviderSequenceNumber: 3777KEYWORD: New Jersey Texas Georgia PennsylvaniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR STW TLS NETSUBJECT CODE: JVN TDS
PRESS RELEASE:QUALCOMM Commits Up to $100M To China Invest
QUALCOMM Commits Up to $100 Million to Strategic Venture Investments in China - China Investment Part of $500 Million QUALCOMM Ventures Commitment -
SAN DIEGO, June 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced a commitment to invest up to $100 million in early- to mid-stage Chinese companies engaged in the development and commercialization of CDMA-based products, applications and services.
As part of QUALCOMM's $500 million commitment announced in November 2000, QUALCOMM believes that venture investments in a variety of market segments in China will promote the continued adoption of CDMA worldwide. Chinese companies receiving investments from QUALCOMM will benefit from access to QUALCOMM's products and technologies, as well as business and strategic relationships throughout the industry."
This investment further demonstrates QUALCOMM's commitment to enabling and fostering a growing CDMA value chain for the next phase of CDMA development in China," said Jing Wang, senior vice president of QUALCOMM and chairman of QUALCOMM China. "QUALCOMM has been working to expand its presence in Greater China by simultaneously working in partnership with the Chinese government, China Unicom, CDMA manufacturers, BREW and gpsOne application developers, and other businesses."
"QUALCOMM's investments over the next several years in promising, young, Chinese entrepreneurial companies will contribute to the growth of CDMA worldwide during this key expansion phase for the Chinese CDMA industry," said Tony Thornley, president and COO of QUALCOMM. "China possesses a large pool of strong technical and marketing talent in CDMA. We expect to see a rapid increase in the number of new CDMA-related companies in China as third-generation CDMA technology is deployed worldwide."
QUALCOMM will target investments within the following sectors: CDMA-based communications technology and devices; BREW(TM) application and platform developers, including gpsOne(TM) location-based application developers and service providers; and, enabling and complementary technology providers. A dedicated China-based team from QUALCOMM will manage the fund and its investments, with active involvement from QUALCOMM senior management.
QUALCOMM will consider participating in a variety of private financing rounds, with a preference for early- to mid-stage ventures. For more information on the application process, please visit the QUALCOMM Ventures Web site, http://www.qualcomm.com/ventures/international /, and the QUALCOMM China Web site, http://china.qualcomm.com/ventures /.
QUALCOMM Incorporated ( www.qualcomm.com ) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company's CDMA digital technology. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2003 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 30, 2002, and most recent Form 10-Q.
QUALCOMM is a registered trademark and BREW and gpsOne are trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For further information, please contact: Christine Trimble, Corporate Public Relations, 1-858-651-3628, fax, +1-858-651-5873, publicrelations@qualcomm.com , or Julie Cunningham, Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4224, +1-858-651-9303, jcunningham@qualcomm.com, both of QUALCOMM Incorporated.
SOURCE QUALCOMM Incorporated /CONTACT: Christine Trimble, Corporate Public Relations, 1-858-651-3628, fax, +1-858-651-5873, publicrelations@qualcomm.com , or Julie Cunningham, Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4224, +1-858-651-9303, jcunningham@qualcomm.com, both of QUALCOMM Incorporated/ /Web site: http://www.qualcomm.com/ventures/international / /Web site: http://china.qualcomm.com/ventures / /Web site: http://www.qualcomm.com / (QCOM) CO: QUALCOMM Incorporated ST: California, China IN: TLS CPR MLM NET SU: ASI FNC VEN
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-03-03 0731ET
Nokia Obtains CDMA Manufacturing Licence for China
HELSINKI, Finland, Jun 3, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The government of the People's Republic of China has granted Nokia a licence to manufacture and sell mobile terminals using the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology in China.
BNMT, Nokia's manufacturing joint venture in China, is now able to proceed with its plans to introduce its first CDMA based products for the Chinese market. The company intends to start deliveries of its first CDMA terminals to the Chinese market during the second half of 2003.
"The manufacturing license is not only a statutory requirement for manufacturing and selling CDMA based products in China. It also demonstrates that Nokia's CDMA technology meets the high level of expectations and contains the advanced features required by the Chinese consumers. Nokia plans to build an equally strong presence in CDMA in China as we currently have in GSM. I would like to thank the related Chinese authorities for their support throughout the licensing process," said Urpo Karjalainen, President of Nokia (China) Investment Co., Ltd.
Nokia has had a strong presence in China since 1985. With innovative technology, Nokia has continuously strengthened its market position in China as a leading supplier of mobile and broadband network systems and mobile phones. China is an important part of Nokia's global manufacturing and R&D networks. In China, Nokia is the largest exporter in the mobile telecommunications industry. Nokia has established more than 50 offices and two R&D centers in China, employing over 4 700 people.
The understanding of local market requirements is essential for success; hence Nokia has invested significantly in research and development in China. This has yielded important innovations in, for example, Chinese language input methods. Recently Nokia has introduced the Nokia 6108, a model specifically designed in and planned for China. With its intuitive touch pad and pen input for Chinese character messaging, the Nokia 6108 demonstrates Nokia's strong and long-term commitment to developing products for China
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.
SOURCE: Nokia
CONTACT: Nokia Mobile Phones Communications, +358 7 1800 8000 Nokia.mobile.phones@nokia.com www.nokia.comURL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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=DJ EXCLUSIVE: Singapore's MobileOne Dumps Wi-Fi, Bets On 3G
By Sai Man
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--MobileOne Ltd. (D.MON), Singapore's second-largest mobile operator, has dropped its high-speed wireless broadband plans, known as Wi-Fi, after a disappointing trial run earlier this year.
"We've shut it down," MobileOne Chief Executive Neil Montefiore told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview Tuesday. "We've discontinued trials because we found customer feedback was not positive."
That decision leaves MobileOne without a foot in the nascent but fast-growing Wi-Fi business, which allows users to surf the Internet on laptop computers or mobile phones when they are near a basestation, or a hotspot, which are set up in places such as cafes and airports. This wireless technology, which shares the same radio spectrum as microwave ovens, is less secure but faster than the new mobile phone networks being developed, called third-generation, or 3G.
Wi-Fi is also much cheaper to roll out. Singapore Telecommunications Ltd. (P.SGT) has only spent about S$1 million (US$1=S$1.7256) to roll out 150 hotspots across the 650-square-kilometer island, and plans to have more than 200 by the end of the year.
While SingTel talks of convergence of multimedia technology, where users will use all sorts of devices to access information and communicate with one another, MobileOne is staying focused on 3G.
"Our customers didn't like the services. It's not a market we want to get into. It's not really mobile," Montefiore said.
For Wi-Fi, a user must stay within a coverage area of 50-100 meters to the hotspot, whereas mobile phones allow users can roam freely when communicating, he said. With Wi-Fi, "you're temporarily fixed," he said.
But Montefiore is a rarity in Asia where fixed-line operators are jumping on the Wi-Fi bandwagon in droves in a bid to tap into the fast-growing market. Wi-Fi is expected to be a US$800 million business by 2007 in the Asia Pacific for Wi-Fi service operators, from a mere US$15 million last year.
Hotspots in Singapore alone are expected to vault to more than 1,000 by 2005, from 193 last year, according to research firm IDC Corp., essentially enabling people to surf in virtually all population-dense public places across the island.
Part of the problem for MobileOne lies in its inherent disadvantage of not having its own fixed-line network on which to connect its hotspots. To overcome this, MobileOne worked with local hotspot operator Bluengine, which connects its hotspots to a fixed-line network, but even then, the costs weren't feasible.
"The cost of backhaul is quite high. We didn't want to put the MobileOne brand on it," Montefiore said.
It's All On 3G
This strategy leaves MobileOne betting on 3G to pay off - in a big way. MobileOne is spending S$75 million this year on 3G, and another S$75 million next year to complete island-wide coverage.
It's a bet that analysts said MobileOne can't afford to lose.
Some fear that by making hotspots pervasive, users may prefer to find a nearby hotspot to check e-mail or make a video call than over 3G networks. 3G services will likely be more expensive, not only because of large license costs, but also because mobile equipment makers like Nokia Corp. (NOK) are passing on development costs to operators through infrastructure prices.
But MobileOne is confident: Montefiore reckons its mobile subscribers will on average spend as much as 25% of their monthly bills on data services, whether sending short messages or using 3G-like services including watching live news on their phones, in two or three years' time. At the moment, each MobileOne postpaid subscriber pays S$62 a month, of which 14% are data services. By the end of this year, he believes data revenue will be around 15%, a "relatively conservative estimate."
Montefiore said it is gunning to launch 3G trials in September or October this year, which will be limited to the central business and shopping areas. This will be followed by a commercial launch around the middle of next year, he said.
"We're still ironing out the bugs in the software," he said, adding, "We should only be charging customers when we're absolutely sure" the services will work.
The second stage of the rollout, which will broaden the coverage to the entire island, will be in place before the end-2004 regulatory deadline, he said.
Under the terms of the S$100 million 3G license MobileOne bought from the Singapore government, the operator must offer 3G services island-wide by the end of 2004, as do its rivals SingTel and StarHub Pte. Ltd.
-By Sai Man, Dow Jones Newswires, 65-6415 4155; sai.man@dowjones.com
-Edited by Mary de Wet
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-03-03 0212ET
Midwest Wireless Launches 3G Wireless Data Network Using Nortel Networks
Solution; CDMA2000 to Enable Next Generation Services in Minnesota, Iowa,
Wisconsin
MANKATO, Minn., Jun 2, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Midwest Wireless today announced the commercial launch of the first phase of its third generation (3G) CDMA2000 1X wireless network based on an infrastructure solution from Nortel Networks (NYSE:NT) (TSX:NT).
This deployment spans 68 counties in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. More than 50 percent of Midwest Wireless' total operational area is now enabled with CDMA2000 1X technology, constituting more than two-thirds of the population served. The remainder of Midwest Wireless' network is expected to be 1X-enabled by the end of 2003.
The CDMA2000 1X Wireless Data Network positions Midwest Wireless to boost network capacity to accommodate a greater number of voice calls. CDMA2000 1X can double voice capacity and support wireless data speeds of up to 153 Kbps, roughly 10 times faster than rates available through circuit-based technology. The network also positions Midwest Wireless to expand its line of sophisticated wireless services, including advanced data features for e-mail access and mobile Web browsing.
"As a regional provider, we're committed to bringing the very latest wireless services to the individuals who live and work in the Greater Midwest," said Dennis Miller, president and chief executive officer, Midwest Wireless. "We're excited to deploy this next generation network, which will open up a new world of wireless services to our customers and enhance their lives through expanded communication options."
"Our networking solutions boost capacity, create efficiencies that can help reduce operating costs, and enable advanced new voice and data service offerings," said Steve Slattery, president and general manager, CDMA/TDMA, Wireless Networks, Nortel Networks. "The network launched today with Midwest Wireless rivals the capabilities of any major metro area."
Nortel Networks was originally selected by Midwest Wireless in September 2002 to supply CDMA2000 1X radio access and Internet Protocol (IP) core infrastructure equipment. Network deployments began in the fourth quarter of last year, and are expected to continue through 2003.
The CDMA2000 1X deployment is part of a nine-year relationship between the two companies. Nortel Networks previously supplied TDMA network equipment to Midwest Wireless.
Products from Nortel Networks Univity Wireless Data Network portfolio deployed for Midwest Wireless include Univity CDMA Metro Cell radio base station (BTS), Univity CDMA Base Station Controller (BSC), and Univity CDMA Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) equipment.
Nortel Networks Univity CDMA technology is designed to maximize existing customer investments in spectrum and infrastructure, to accommodate subscriber growth, and to help service providers drive down capital and operating costs. A leader in CDMA since 1995, Nortel Networks has designed and deployed CDMA networks over varying terrain and population densities for more than 65 operators across 17 countries, including more than 35,000 3G-ready base stations.
Based in Mankato, Minn., Midwest Wireless is a leading wireless services provider, with nearly 300,000 customers. The company's wireless phone service offerings include ClearlyDigital and Realm. Midwest Wireless is also a pioneer in the development of wireless data and Internet access technologies, including ClearWave, their fixed wireless broadband service that wirelessly delivers high-speed Internet access to homes and businesses. The company's new CDMA2000 1X network will complement this service by also offering up to 153K Internet access while mobile. More information on Midwest Wireless is available at www.midwestwireless.com.
Nortel Networks is an industry leader and innovator focused on transforming how the world communicates and exchanges information. The Company is supplying its service provider and enterprise customers with communications technology and infrastructure to enable value-added IP data, voice and multimedia services spanning Wireless Networks, Wireline Networks, Enterprise Networks, and Optical Networks. As a global company, Nortel Networks does business in more than 150 countries. More information about Nortel Networks can be found on the Web at www.nortelnetworks.com.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the severity and duration of the industry adjustment; the sufficiency of our restructuring activities, including the potential for higher actual costs to be incurred in connection with restructuring actions compared to the estimated costs of such actions; fluctuations in operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; the ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in cash flow, the level of outstanding debt and debt ratings; the ability to meet financial covenants contained in our credit agreements; the ability to make acquisitions and/or integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; the dependence on new product development; the uncertainties of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of our customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; stock market volatility; the entrance into an increased number of supply and outsourcing contracts which contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the ability to obtain timely, adequate and reasonably priced component parts from suppliers and internal manufacturing capacity; the future success of our strategic alliances; and the adverse resolution of litigation. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the reports filed by Nortel Networks with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel Networks disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Nortel Networks, the Nortel Networks logo, the Globemark and Univity are trademarks of Nortel Networks.
SOURCE: Nortel Networks
CONTACT: Nortel Networks Jay Barta, 972/685-2381 jbarta@nortelnetworks.com or Midwest Wireless Shelly John, 507/327-2376 shelly.john@midwestwireless.comURL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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=DJ Mobile Phone Makers Sell 112.7M Handsets In 1Q - Gartner
By Taska Manzaroli Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
BERLIN (Dow Jones)--Mobile phone makers beat expectations by selling 112.7 million handsets in the first quarter, with Nokia Corp. (NOK) strengthening its market leadership, figures from research firm Gartner Inc. (IT) showed Monday.
The results represent an increase of 18% from the year-earlier quarter and were driven by consumers upgrading handsets to models that offer color screens or cameras.
"We don't know if this is an anomaly or an ongoing trend for 2003," said Ben Wood, principal analyst with the mobile communications group for Gartner in Europe. "If this does carry on, a market in excess of 470 million units is possible" in 2003, he said.
Of the top players, Nokia and Samsung Electronics Co. (Q.SSE) managed to improve their share of the increasingly competitive mobile phone market. Motorola Inc. (MOT), Siemens AG (SI) and SonyEricsson, the venture of Sony Corp. (SNE) and Telefon AB LM Ericsson (ERICY), all lost market share in the period.
Nokia, with a first-quarter market share of 35%, continued to have more than double the share of its nearest rival. And even with more than 50% of almost all global system for mobile communications, or GSM, markets in Europe and Asia, the Finnish manufacturer will grow in these regions during the year, Gartner said.
Nokia sold 39.5 million handsets in the first quarter, according to Gartner.
Consumers are being drawn by phones that can send color photographs, pictures and sound. Vodafone Group PLC (VOD), the world's largest wireless operator, said last week that its customers had activated, by the end of March, 413,000 handsets capable of sending multimedia messages.
"In 2003, an explosion in the availability of color screen and camera phones is expected in mature markets, such as western Europe, and we predict that many customers will be tempted to replace their existing mobile terminals," Wood said.
Analysts at AG Edwards & Sons told clients last month that Nokia's new 3650 camera-phone has become one of the firm's best-selling models shortly after its launch.
Nokia's continuing strength leaves Motorola and Samsung battling it out for the number two position. Further down the rankings, SonyEricsson and LG Electronics Inc. (Q.LGE) are vying for the fifth slot, having both sold more than 5 million handsets in the first three months, according to Gartner.
South Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG Electronics are solidly entrenched in the code division multiple access, or the CDMA standard used widely in Asia and the U.S., and both continue to make inroads into GSM, according to Gartner.
Motorola, plagued by delivery problems last year, has gone from bearing down on Nokia to "looking over its shoulder at Samsung," Wood said. The U.S. firm offloaded 16.6 million handsets compared with Samsung's 11.9 million in the first quarter.
Gartner warned that there are several risks that could impact the industry in the second quarter and beyond. The analysts highlighted inventory problems in China and the economic impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS in Asia.
Moreover, with more than 100 manufacturers competing in the market, there's likely to be pressure to lower prices as companies struggle to survive.
Following is a table of the worldwide mobile terminal sales to end-users as provided by Gartner (in thousands of units):
Company 1Q 2003 1Q 2003 1Q 2002 1Q 2002 Mkt share Mkt share Nokia 39,479 35.0% 32,649 34.2% Motorola 16,561 14.7% 16,804 17.6% Samsung 11,879 10.5% 8,890 9.3% Siemens 8,585 7.6% 8,121 8.5% Sony Ericsson 5,385 4.8% 6,001 6.3% Others 30,786 27.3% 22,867 24.0% Total Market 112,674 100.0% 95,333 100.0%
Company Web site: http://www.gartner.com
-By Taska Manzaroli, Dow Jones Newswires; 49 30 2888 410; taska.manzaroli@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-02-03 0914ET
=DJ INTERVIEW: SingTel Builds Wi-Fi Dream On A Shoestring
By Sai Man
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)--For a company with a market capitalization of S$27 billion (US$1=S$1.7301), Singapore Telecommunications Ltd.'s (P.SGT) move into wireless broadband services, better known as Wi-Fi or wireless fidelity, is being carried out for next to nothing.
Over the past year, the incumbent telecom operator has spent just S$1 million on rolling out Wi-Fi, dotting the 650-square kilometer island with about 150 hotspots, close proximity to which will allow users to surf the Internet on their laptops for 20 Singapore cents a minute, says Andrew Buay, SingTel's vice president for consumer marketing.
This wireless technology takes broadband surfing out of the home and the office and into densely-populated public areas including Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) and Burger King Corp. (X.BKG) outlets, where SingTel has installed hotspots.
By the end of the year, finding a hotspot will be even easier when SingTel expects to have more than 200 hotspots, Buay told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.
"The next stage of the rollout is a lot more focused, like hotels, where we can increase the proximity and density of hotspots," Buay said, who described the rollout so far as a "basic mapping" of Singapore.
The cost of rolling out more hotspots is getting cheaper for companies like SingTel, he says.
"The cost of equipment has dropped significantly" over the past year, he says. "Wi-Fi is (a small) incremental cost to us."
The race to roll out more hotspots is intensifying, with rivals like StarHub Pte. Ltd. now running three monster-sized hotspots, including an exclusive Wi-Fi deal in January covering Changi airport.
The number of hotspots in Internet-savvy Singapore is expected to jump 2.5 times to 480 by the end of 2003 from 193 in 2002, according to Adrian Ho, an analyst at technology research firm IDC.
By 2005, he estimates the tiny island - where about one-third of the population are broadband users - will be wired up with over 1,000 hotspots.
3G Worries
But some analysts are worried that as Wi-Fi becomes more pervasive, it will undermine SingTel's costlier third-generation mobile plans, which will also allow SingTel's army of mobile users to zap wireless data across invisible networks - but at vastly slower speeds than Wi-Fi.
SingTel is expected to award a contract to build its 3G network later in June, and although the size of the contract isn't known, SingTel previously said it expects to spend some S$350 million over three years.
But Buay dismissed fears users will plump for cheaper Wi-Fi services rather than pay for 3G, saying these services are meant to complement each other.
Wi-Fi users are tied to a 50-100 meter radius of the hotspot whereas 3G users will be able to roam freely, and be able to surf and watch video clips while on the move, he says. Eventually, he hopes, each wireless service will encourage the use of another.
"We don't see Wi-Fi as a standalone service. We see Wi-Fi as a single component of our vision of seamless communications, with 3G another access tool," he says.
But while Wi-Fi is getting increasingly popular in Singapore, with about 2,000 users logging onto SingTel's service every month, Buay says Wi-Fi isn't going to make a huge impact on SingTel's overall business.
"I don't think it's going to be contributing a significant revenue, but we feel it's important to (have) because it's a complementary service," Buay says. Data and Internet services contributed S$1.9 billion or about 18% of SingTel's total revenue in the financial year to March 2002.
3G networks are more expensive because they are developed as a proprietary technology out of the laboratories of mobile equipment makers, whereas Wi-Fi grew up in the public domain.
As a result, 3G services will likely be more expensive in order to justify the higher investment outlay, say analysts.
But Buay was reticent on how SingTel plans to charge for its 3G services. "Pricing of 3G is potentially very different."
-By Sai Man, Dow Jones Newswires, 65-6415 4155; sai.man@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-02-03 0435ET
*DJ Samsung 1Q Handset Mkt Share 10.5%; Siemens 7.6%-Gartner
(MORE) Dow Jones Newswires
06-02-03 0719ET
DJ Gartner/1Q/Handset -2: Demand Seen Across All Regions
Edited Press Release
BERLIN (Dow Jones)--Gartner Inc. (IT) said the mobile phone industry experienced better than expected sales in the first quarter, as worldwide mobile phone unit sales totaled 112.7 million units, an 18% increase from the first quarter of 2002.
"The mobile handset industry rode the crest of a wave of robust replacement demand to realize record levels of sales to end-users for the first quarter," said Bryan Prohm, senior analyst with the mobile communications worldwide research group for Gartner.
"Significant demand was recorded across all geographical regions during the quarter, and annualized sales trends based on these results suggest the market could be on pace for a double-digit rate increase for the full calendar year."
Nokia Corp. (NOK), with a 35% market share in the first quarter of 2003, continued to have more than double the market share of its nearest competitor. Despite market share of more than 50% in almost all GSM markets in Europe and Asia/Pacific, Gartner analysts said Nokia is still positioned to grow market share in these core markets through the remainder of the year.
Worldwide mobile terminal sales to end-users estimates for 1Q 2003 (thousands of units):
Company 1Q 2003 1Q 2003 1Q 2002 1Q 2002 Mkt share Mkt share Nokia 39,479 35.0% 32,649 34.2% Motorola 16,561 14.7% 16,804 17.6% Samsung 11,879 10.5% 8,890 9.3% Siemens 8,585 7.6% 8,121 8.5% Sony Ericsson 5,385 4.8% 6,001 6.3% Others 30,786 27.3% 22,867 24.0% Total Market 112,674 100.0% 95,333 100.0%
Note: Table includes iDEN shipments, but excludes mobile WLL and ODM to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) shipments. Source: Gartner Dataquest (June 2003).
The remainder of 2003 will see Motorola (MOT) and Samsung Electronics (Q.SSE) battle for the No. 2 position, while Sony Ericsson and LG Electronics (Q.LGE) will try to hold the No. 5 position. Both South Korean vendors are solidly entrenched in leadership positions in the CDMA segment, and both continue to make inroads into GSM markets across the globe.
"In 2003, an explosion in the availability of color screen and camera phones is expected in mature markets, such as Western Europe, and we predict that many customers will be tempted to replace their existing mobile terminals," said Ben Wood, principal analyst with the mobile communications group for Gartner in Europe. "Photo messaging, which Gartner terms 'disposable photography,' is expected to be the cornerstone service in mobile network operators' marketing campaigns throughout the year."
"The mobile terminals market in 2003 will be characterised by 'device diversity' as mobile terminal manufacturers launch a wide range of new handsets with features such as gaming, music and video. However, the majority of worldwide sales will remain in the low-tier, low-function segment," said Wood.
While the worldwide mobile phone industry has reason to be excited by 1Q 2003 results, Gartner analysts said there are several risks unique to 2003 market supply and demand dynamics that could impact the industry during the second quarter, as well as the rest of the year.
"There is a deepening inventory predicament in China, and there is the economic impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the Asia/Pacific region and beyond," said Ann Liang, industry analyst with the mobile communications group for Gartner in Asia/Pacific. "Clearly, then, any optimism should be met with an equal measure of prudence."
Gartner analysts have also expressed concern over the number of vendors trying to compete in the mobile phone industry. There are more than 100 manufacturers now competing in the global market, and this will result in downward pressure on average prices for mobile terminals as companies struggle to survive and resort to competing almost solely on price.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-02-03 0745ET
*DJ Mobile Industry 1Q Handset Sales Rise 18% - Gartner
(MORE) Dow Jones Newswires
06-02-03 0718ET
CONF: NOK To Present At Telecom/Media/Tech Conference @ 03:30 ET
[delayed]
Ridgeland, MS, JUN 02, 2003 (EventX/Knobias.com via COMTEX) -- Company representatives of Nokia Corporation ADS (NYSE: NOK) will be presenting at the Merrill Lynch Telecommunications, Media & Technology Conference today. The Company's presentation is scheduled to begin at 03:30 ET.
Expected Speaker(s):
Niklas Savander, SVP-Market Operations
Antti Raikkonen, Director-IR
Misc Releated Info:
** Original Confirmation
** Conference Information:
Merrill Lynch Telecommunications, Media & Technology Conference
The conference will feature presentations by senior executives within the Telecom, Media and Technology industries.
Conference Dates: 06/02/2003-06/03/2003
Royal Lancaster Hotel
London, UK
http://events.ml.com/aconf/com.ml.aconf.form.ACONFConfBasic?conf_id=17273&bywho=null&loadtim...
GET KNOBIAS IN REAL-TIME: Delivery of this proprietary Knobias alert has been delayed by at least 10 minutes. To get all Knobias alerts in real-time daily, visit http://www.knobias.com/cmtx
ABOUT KNOBIAS: Knobias is a premier financial information provider of trading and investing data covering all U.S. equities for investors and security professionals. Knobias is best described by its three major components: Real-time desktop applications providing quotes, charts, level 2, analysis etc.; Knobias RAiDAR providing thousands of real-time news stories, alerts and documents daily; Knobias fundamentals providing a comprehensive database of fundamental research information.
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SUBJECT CODE: Conference Event Management Appearance
Sumitomo Electric Networks -SEN- Ships Trillium-R- SIP Powered ADSL
Modems SEN Completes Successful Interoperability and Deployment Trials to
Provide Easily Installable ADSL Modem Solutions Into Tier 1 Japanese Carrier
Broadband Network
ATLANTA, Jun 2, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Continuous Computing Corp. (CCPU), the leading provider of communications software solutions, announced today that Sumitomo Electric Network (SEN), has started shipping Trillium(R) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) enabled Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) modems that provide IP based voice and video capabilities over the broadband network. The SIP product is a key component of the high-performance, high-availability suite of Trillium(R) software stacks offered by CCPU.
SEN, a wholly owned subsidiary of the SEI (Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.) group, is a leading pioneer in xDSL technology. SEN is currently shipping ADSL modems, embedded with Trillium's standards-based SIP User Agent (UA) solution, to service providers as they roll out their next-generation networks. These broadband access devices enable subscribers to connect to the carrier's network and benefit from the advanced services offered. The ADSL modems have been in deployment trials and successfully tested for interoperability and help ensure plug and play capability for trouble free and easy installation at consumer premises.
"CCPU is committed to support and further develop the Trillium product line to provide solutions for the worldwide broadband and IP telephony evolution, and Sumitomo's deployment of our SIP product validates our strategy," said Prasad Kallur, vice president of Trillium Products, CCPU. "One of our primary goals is to ensure customers continue to utilize our solutions with confidence as they have demonstrated over the past decade. CCPU continues the commitment to offer high performing cutting-edge solutions backed with outstanding support services in our quest to address the time-to-market constraints facing our customers."
The SIP stack offering is feature rich and interoperability guaranteed and supports extensions to provide numerous configurations for easy adaptability in communications equipment ranging from edge devices for customer premise equipment (CPE), such as SIP based IP phones and ADSL modems, to carrier-grade core network elements, such as SIP servers and softswitches. This flexible SIP stack can also be used in 3G wireless networks and for inter-softswitch communication. Built on the TAPA(R) (Trillium Advanced Portability Architecture) foundation, the SIP product seamlessly integrates with the other suite of protocol stacks without requiring significant changes to the design, implementation and testing approaches.
"As a leader in the development of global xDSL solutions, SEN is continuously striving to design plug-and-play CPE equipment that service providers can directly sell to subscribers thereby significantly reducing installation costs," said Minoru Kuramoto, deputy general manager, SEN. "Access to Trillium telecom solutions enabled us to effectively solve the time-to-market requirements of our customers. A rich tradition and proven reputation coupled with excellent dedicated support made available during the integration and product trial phase really makes CCPU a natural vendor of choice."
Visit CCPU at booth #22531 at SUPERCOMM 03 to learn more about SIP and other product offerings.
About Sumitomo Electric Networks
Sumitomo Electric Networks Inc., a leading supplier of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) and Fiber Optic network equipment for the broadband access market in Japan and Asia, was established by the parent company, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. on Aug. 1, 2002 to take over the broad band IP access network businesses. The veteran management team at Sumitomo Electric Networks delivers innovative products that continue to foster and promote new entrepreneurial initiatives in the promising broadband access market. Sumitomo Electric Networks' flexibility and agility provides customers with competitive time-to-market product developments. For more information on Sumitomo Electric Networks Inc. visit www.sei-networks.com.
About Continuous Computing
Continuous Computing Corp. (CCPU) is an ISO 9001 certified, leading provider of high-availability, application-ready platform solutions that enable telecom equipment manufacturers to rapidly develop and deploy voice-over-packet, intelligent network, OAM&P, and wireless infrastructure applications. From softswitches and signaling gateways to RNC's and HLR's, over 500 projects with world leading telecom equipment vendors are powered by CCPU solutions. Offering customers a choice of modular building blocks at multiple levels of integration, these solutions include fully-managed Flex cPCI platforms, high-performance Trillium communications protocols, and easy-to-use upSuite(R) high-availability middleware. Addressing the time-to-market requirements of next-generation infrastructure, CCPU solutions are an integral part of the telecommunications network of today and tomorrow.
For additional information, visit www.ccpu.com or call 858/882-8800.
Continuous Computing Corp., Trillium, TAPA, and upSuite are registered trademarks of Continuous Computing Corp. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
SOURCE: Continuous Computing Corp.
CONTACT: for Continuous Computing Corp. Erica Zeidenberg, 925/631-0553URL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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ProviderSequenceNumber: 5258KEYWORD: GEORGIAINDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE E-COMMERCE INTERNET HARDWARE TRADESHOW
NTT DoCoMo Camera Phone Offers World's Highest Resolution
Tokyo, Japan, Jun 02, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (TSE: 9437) and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today that on June 4, 2003 they will begin marketing the SO505i, the world's first camera phone equipped with a 1.3-megapixel (effective resolution) CCD camera.
This is the second model in the new 505i series of enhanced-2G handsets. Equipped with a Flash(TM) browser, 505i series handsets can access a broad range of rich content and applications with highly fluid animation.
The SO505i offers a unique design for a mobile phone. Once unfolded, the screen-half can be rotated 180 degrees to sit on top of the phone's lower half, thereby halving the phone's length, but leaving the screen facing up. Buttons just below the screen enable the user to make calls, check e-mail and even browse websites with the handset "closed."
The SO505i comes with a 16x digital zoom camera and 2.2-inch semi-transparent, 262,144-color TFT screen. Extra-high resolution makes the SO505i ideal for enjoying photos sent with DoCoMo's i-shot(TM) picture messaging service. SO505i photos can be printed out with a resolution of 1.23 megapixels.
The phone shoots video clips at 5 frames/second and up 6.4 seconds in length.
The external storage slot accepts the Memory Stick Duo(TM), which can hold up to about 985 photos saved in the i-shot small-size format.
The SO505i is equipped for i-ppli DX(TM), the enhanced i-ppli(TM) service providing access to a wide range of content and applications. Using downloadable applications, it is possible to highly customize the SO505i's address book and call log, as well as i-mode mail services.
The SO505i will be available through all DoCoMo sales channels. The price of the handset including Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Duo Adaptor will be open (unfixed). Its standard accessory kit, including battery pack, AC adaptor and desktop holder, will cost 5,700 yen*.
For more details on standard 505i series functions, please refer to the press release issued on April 8, 2003, located on the company's website at www.nttdocomo.com. For the SO505i's main specifications, please see below:
Main Specifications of SO505i
Height x Width x Thickness Approx. 105 x 50 x 30 mm (folded) Weight Approx. 145g Continuous Stand-by Time Approx. 400 hours Continuous Talk Time Approx. 140 minutes Data Transmission Speed Receiving: Max. 28,800 bpsSending: Max. 9,600 bps External Interface Infrared communication port Body Colors Cyber Blue Cyber Silver Cyber White
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 44 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode(R), the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 35 million subscribers, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and North and South America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (TSE: 9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.
Source: NTT DoCoMo
Contact:
NTT DoCoMoInternational PR, Public Relations Departmentpress_dcm@nttdocomo.com+81 3 5156 1366
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
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Worth a repeat:=DJ TALES OF THE TAPE: InterDigital Gears For 3G Wireless
By Dinah Wisenberg Brin Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES (This article was originally published Thursday.)
PHILADELPHIA (Dow Jones)--Wireless technology company InterDigital Communications Corp. (IDCC), with the settlement of an important patent dispute behind it, aims to build on its position as the industry looks toward next-generation technology.
The company and analysts believe the resolution of the decade-long case against Swedish cellular-phone giant L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co. (ERICY) is a potentially transformative event that could help InterDigital, which patents inventions used to transmit cellular phone calls, to strengthen its position in the industry.
Despite a large run-up in the stock since the agreement in March, the two analysts who follow the $1.3 billion market-cap company deem InterDigital a worthwhile investment with room to grow.
"I think there are a number of things on the horizon that are going to bode very well for the company," analyst Frank Marsala of Halpern Capital said.
Those events include resolution of talks with two other leading cell-phone companies, Nokia Corp. (NOK) and Samsung Electronics Co., possibly as soon as this summer, to determine their financial obligations to InterDigital for certain licenses - a process set in motion by the Ericsson settlement and expected to bring InterDigital hundreds of millions in revenue in the next few years.
Analysts also note that mobile phone sales have been strong this year, a positive development for a company that gets paid royalties for many of the handsets sold, and should receive more assuming it reaches agreements with Nokia and Samsung. The anticipated Nokia and Samsung deals "will be worth something to this company in terms of the stock price," as the market hasn't yet fully priced the potential agreements into the shares, Marsala said. Marsala, who initiated coverage in April, said he doesn't own the shares and his firm doesn't perform investment banking for the company, based in King of Prussia, Pa.
The big near-term risk to the stock would be resistance from Nokia and Samsung that would push those agreements into 2004, Marsala said, but he does expect the agreements to materialize.
Licensing agreements related to InterDigital's next-generation technology are also possible this year, and the market has only partly valued them into the stock price, Marsala said. He values InterDigital shares at $30 to $35.
"They do have acknowledged 3G technology that is patentable intellectual property. That's a big one. That will be the next big one after Nokia and Samsung play out," Marsala said.
Analyst Tom Carpenter of Hilliard Lyons, who rates the stock a buy, has a 12-month price target of $25 to $31 on the shares, but said that goal could prove conservative if the company finalizes its royalty levels with Nokia and Samsung before the second half of the year. Carpenter holds a position in the stock but said his firm doesn't do investment banking for the company.
InterDigital shares, which closed Wednesday at $24.92, reached a 52-week high of $27.50 May 14, and set a low of $6.22 Aug. 5.
InterDigital estimates it could have a potential $360 million to $430 million in aggregate cash flow from Nokia, Samsung, Ericsson and Sony Ericsson over 12 months as a result of the recent Ericsson settlement, which covers its intellectual property used in the current generation of wireless technology. That estimate assumes the agreements will be reached with Nokia and Samsung.
For a company with less than $88 million in revenue in 2002, the potential agreements with Nokia and Samsung alone "could make a large impact on their revenue and income statement," analyst Carpenter said.
Growth Potential
Settling the royalty issue with Nokia and Samsung should further validate InterDigital technology, helping the company sign other licensees for current and next-wave patents, Carpenter said. That's significant, as InterDigital and observers see growth potential as the industry adopts more advanced technology.
InterDigital has licensed it technology for a majority of the mobile phones now in use globally. The phones use "second-generation," or 2G, and more advanced 2.5G technologies that carry voice and limited data.
The company is working on intellectual property and products for third-generation, or 3G, which has started to emerge on a limited basis. This advanced, higher-speed technology, which requires new infrastructure equipment and phones, is expected to enable transmission of video and other data-rich services, as well as voice.
"We think they've got some great intellectual property in the wireless communications area and they're really just starting to capitalize on it," said Joseph Garner, buyside research director at Emerald Asset Management, which has a stake in the company. Carpenter said InterDigital will be "a leading beneficiary" of the switch to 3G.
InterDigital President and Chief Executive Howard Goldberg, noting the company's big stake in 3G patents, said in a recent phone interview that the technology is "an important part of our position moving forward."
Besides licensing its patents to others, the key source of revenue now, InterDigital plans to incorporate its intellectual property into a variety of advanced, 3G wireless products to be used in handsets and infrastructure to sell to industry players. The company plans to start selling some products next year, and is working with a partner on handset chips.
The timing for wide deployment of 3G services remains uncertain, however, and the technology has experienced delays. Morgan Stanley issued a note recently expressing concerns that 3G won't take strong hold in major world markets until 2005. But InterDigital already has 3G licenses with several handset makers and believes the evolution is under way. A company spokesman said InterDigital has always been conservative in its view of 3G rollout, and wants to market its products early. Analysts say full adoption is a matter of time.
Wireless carriers consider the more advanced technology a way to generate higher revenue per customer, Carpenter said. He gave a "realistic" estimate of common usage by the second half of 2004, with mass market use by 2005.
"Yes, it has been delayed, but the carriers have sunk so much money into licenses that they want to see it happen," he said.
Meanwhile, InterDigital has licensed about 70% of the 2G market, and has the cushion of those royalties for the next four-and-a-half years, he said.
"If 3G doesn't come to fruition or it's not as extensive as it's envisioned to be, that will have an impact on the future earnings of the company," Emerald's Garner said. He added, however, that "3G seems to be something that's going to happen. It's a question of when."
Halpern's Marsala said in a note that he expects the technology to emerge over the next two years, but cautioned that it could take longer.
Earlier this month, InterDigital reported first-quarter net income of 45 cents a share, compared with a break-even first quarter a year earlier, and a 78% increase in revenue to $37.3 million. The increase was largely due to royalties from the new patent license agreements with Ericsson and spin-off Sony Ericsson.
The company hasn't given financial guidance for this year because of "a lack of visibility into the marketplace" on a number of events, but officials feel good about the company's position, CEO Goldberg said.
Goldberg cited the Ericsson settlement as a milestone for the company.
"Settling that litigation, getting the recognition that's accorded by a meaningful licensing agreement going forward is very important to the licensing momentum," he said.
InterDigital is involved with the bodies that set the standards for wireless technology, and some of its inventions have been incorporated into those standards.
Goldberg said the Ericsson settlement, while covering current technology, should help InterDigital build relationships that could facilitate future royalty agreements connected to 3G, including further agreements with Ericsson, an industry infrastructure leader.
(Dinah Wisenberg Brin covers the Philadelphia area for Dow Jones Newswires.)
-By Dinah Wisenberg Brin, Dow Jones Newswires; 215-656-8285; dinah.brin@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
05-30-03 0730ET
=DJ THE BOTTOM LINE: Cheap Phones Key To Emerging Mkt Riches
By Buster Kantrow Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
STOCKHOLM (Dow Jones)--Fancy new cellphones may grab the headlines, but there's a pivotal scrum underway at the other end of the mobile phone market too.
From China to India to Brazil, European phonemakers are scrambling to bolster their positions in some of the world's most populous countries, where cellphones remain far less common than in the developed world. In these markets, simple and inexpensive models are the weapons of choice.
At stake for the phonemakers is a chance to seize an early edge in regions where subscriber growth remains brisk, enabling them to offset mixed results in convincing their existing phone users to upgrade to pricier models.
"In terms of volumes, the emerging markets are vital," said Neil Mawston, a senior wireless analyst at research firm Strategy Analytics Ltd., "and for vendors in second, third and fourth positions, there's the potential to grab some market share from Nokia."
Sales to new phone users should account for at least a third of overall industry shipments this year, and Deutsche Bank analysts estimate that nearly two thirds of new subscribers will be in developing countries.
Phonemakers have taken notice. Nokia (NOK), the world's largest handset maker, has a special unit dedicated to developing low-end phones for first-time buyers. Samsung Electronics Co. (Q.SSE), which has focused until now on mid-range and high-end handsets, said earlier this year that it is considering producing inexpensive handsets for India.
Both Nokia and industry No. 2 Motorola (MOT) are scrambling to fight off competition in China, already the world's largest phone market and still one of the fastest growing.
Other key growth markets include Russia, Eastern Europe, Indonesia and parts of Africa, said Bengt-Aake Gyllenberg, the head of Nokia's entry-level phone division.
Business in emerging countries is also influencing the wider market in unexpected ways. In April, Nokia Chief Executive Jorma Ollila said subscriber growth in emerging markets is pressuring the average selling price, or ASP, of Nokia phones, which has deteriorated more quickly than many analysts expected and raised concerns about Nokia's growth prospects.
"There is a bigger portion of new subscribers coming in emerging markets than was forecast a year or two ago, which has been very low-end (phones) and that has affected the ASP and unit prices," Ollila said.
Despite falling prices, Nokia's profit margins have been improving. Revenue, though, can be hit. And if revenue isn't growing, it's tough to boost profits.
China The Big Battleground
China remains the biggest battleground. Operators there have been adding 4 million subscribers a month, but four out of five Chinese still don't have a mobile phone.
Motorola and Nokia are the largest suppliers in China, but both have been losing ground to domestic manufacturers. Deutsche Bank estimates that there are at least 30 local phonemakers in China, where overproduction in recent months has left phones sitting on retailers' shelves and put pressure on prices.
Analysts say the Chinese phonemakers that survive the fierce local competition may move into the worldwide market in coming years, providing new competition at the low end for Nokia and its rivals.
China is particularly crucial for Motorola, which is strong in North America and other parts of Asia but a smaller player in Europe. Motorola has hinted in recent weeks that the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, which has kept shoppers in Beijing and other Chinese cities at home, could weaken its second-quarter results.
Nokia, for its part, recently revamped its distribution network in China, hoping to bolster its position in rural areas where analysts say local suppliers have an advantage. The company also plans to begin selling handsets for China's second-largest network standard, code division multiple access, or CDMA, during the second half of the year, Gyllenberg said.
"It gives us both reach and a more immediate market touch," Gyllenberg said. "You have your finger on the market pulse because you're closer to where the real action is."
Nokia has had early success in China with its 2100 handset, the first from Gyllenberg's unit. The 2100 - a characteristic, candy-bar shaped model that supports voice and text messaging - is now on sale in Europe and Brazil.
Gyllenberg, Nokia's top salesman in Europe as mobile phones took off in the mid-1990s and later its sales director for Asia, said the common thread in emerging markets is a lack of well-established fixed-line networks.
Mobile networks can step into the breach, he said. But the key to subscriber growth isn't simply selling inexpensive phones. Operators, together with manufacturers, must lower the "total cost of ownership," including the subscription.
He said Nokia helps explain the business case to operators, encouraging the use of strategies such as prepaid plans and calling-party-pays charging that allow subscribers to control their spending.
Next to China, today's hottest market is India, where the number of subscribers has tripled to around 12 million in the past year. Strategy Analytics expects the base to balloon to 75 million by 2008. Even then, though, fewer than one in 10 Indians would have a mobile phone.
Mawston said Nokia is tops in India but other phonemakers are taking aim at the market. In addition to Samsung, Siemens AG (SI) said last week it would ramp up its own sales efforts and add engineers in India, which it said would become its second most important wireless market in Asia. Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM), which receives licensing revenue for CDMA phones, also has high hopes for growth in India.
"They are really, really underdeveloped," Gyllenberg said of the Indian market. "The regulatory environment and the competitive environment are just starting to fall into place. You're going to see quite substantial growth in markets like India."
Strategy Analytics' Mawston said the early battles are important because the phonemakers can establish relationships with customers who will eventually want to buy another, likely more sophisticated and more expensive phone.
"Once you build up that installed base, it's very difficult for someone else to penetrate it," Mawston said, citing Nokia's entrenched position in Europe, where it supplies nearly half of all phones sold.
"If they're familiar with a particular brand already, it can be very difficult and very expensive to get them to switch," he said.
-By Buster Kantrow, Dow Jones Newswires; +46 8 545 130 91; Buster.Kantrow@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
05-30-03 0535ET
=DJ INTERVIEW: DoCoMo To Soon Offer Two New 3G Videophones
By Ron Harui Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
TOKYO (Dow Jones)--Hoping to attract more gadget-crazy Japanese consumers to its third-generation mobile phone service, NTT DoCoMo Inc. (DCM or 9437) will launch two new 3G videophone handset models within weeks, the company's president said Friday.
The new mobile phones will likely offer video clip e-mailing and longer battery life on top of features such as a built-in camera already offered in the handsets that have proven wildly popular with young Japanese.
"They'll be coming out very soon. We're now preparing for a (product) release in summer," DoCoMo President and Chief Executive Keiji Tachikawa told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.
Tachikawa said the new 3G videophone handsets will be manufactured by Fujitsu Ltd. (J.FUT or 6702) and NEC Corp. (NIPNY or 6701). DoCoMo's current 3G videophone handset is made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.'s (MC or 6752) Panasonic Mobile Communications.
DoCoMo is eager to make a splash with its newest 3G videophone handsets to entice more subscribers into using data communications such as its popular "i-motion" mail service. The new value-added services would help DoCoMo generate more revenue, possibly boosting its bottom line.
3G Service Picking Up
The company's current 3G videophone handset can e-mail up to 24 seconds of video clips taken by its built-in cameras and can record and transmit video clips while people are talking on the phone. It also has a standby time of 180 hours - the battery life of a phone when it is turned on, in motion but not in use.
The snazzy functions and improved hardware on the current 3G videophone helped DoCoMo exceed its March-end forecast of 320,000 3G users.
Aside from the videophone, DoCoMo has marketed since the start of this year new 3G cellphone handsets that are cheaper, lighter and operate longer than older 3G handsets - a strategy that has lured close to 500,000 3G users, Tachikawa said.
The strong demand follows a slow start.
DoCoMo's 3G service, launched in October 2001, had met with a cool reception until the beginning of this year, mainly due to network glitches, handset problems and limited coverage.
The company hopes to sign up 1.46 million 3G users this fiscal year, more than four-fold the 330,000 3G users it had at the end of March.
To further widen the appeal of its 3G service, which it calls "FOMA", DoCoMo plans to expand its coverage area to 99% of Japan's populated areas by the end of next March, Tachikawa said. Previously, DoCoMo had forecast that its 3G service would cover 97% of the nation by next March. Its 3G service is already available to some 91% of consumers.
DoCoMo is one of only a few commercial 3G service operators in the world using W-CDMA 3G technology that enables data transmission at speeds of up to 384 kilobits per second, much faster than current-generation wireless technology.
Download Phone Repair Software
Japan's mobile phone giant is also considering a new wireless service that will enable consumers to download applications such as those that resolve software glitches in their cellphones, Tachikawa said.
"We're now mulling this," he said. "Next year, it'll likely be possible to do this."
By allowing consumers to wirelessly fix or upgrade their phones, DoCoMo hopes to increase user-friendliness of its cellphones. "For instance, you wouldn't have to bring your cellphone to a shop or you wouldn't have to exchange your cellphone for another one," Tachikawa said,
Mobile phone operators and manufacturers now rely on phone shops and product recalls to fix mobile phones. That can be a big inconvenience for customers, as they sometimes have to take their phones to the shop, often leaving them with the repairman for several days.
A self-service, wireless repair application would also help DoCoMo cut huge costs related to product recalls, which could hurt its brand image and customer loyalty.
-By Ron Harui, Dow Jones Newswires; 813-5255-2942; ron.harui@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
05-30-03 0751ET
holy cow...all that activity in ah.
ot: Terror alert lowered....let the buying begin!
and away we go...25.17
Wall Street Journal: Tech-bubble reminder? InterDigital shares soar
May 30, 2003, (Wall Street Journal /FT Information via COMTEX) -- InterDigital Communications Corp shares have risen by as much as 44% since the company agreed to settle a patent dispute with Ericsson Inc and Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB. Some analysts expect the share price to climb to as high as $40 -- from $6.22 in August, but others say the jump is driven by overly optimistic expectations. Critics noted that the rally in InterDigital shares was fueled by news that the company could get millions of dollars from the settlement with Ericsson and similar deals with Nokia Corp and Samsung Electronics Co. However, they said some insiders were so uncertain about the company's future that they were forced to sell more than 615,000 shares during the past 12 months.
Abstracted from: The Wall St Journal (US Edition)
Copyright 2003: Financial Times Information. All rights reserved
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INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Broadcasting & Telecommunications Cellular & Other WirelessTelecommunications Communications Equipment Mfg Computer & Electronic Product Mfg Information Radio TV Broadcast & Wireless Communications EquipmentMfg Telecommunications Wireless Telecom Carriers exc SatelliteSUBJECT CODE: Company News Equities Forecasts & Predictions General News Market News Marketing Markets Sales
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Projects Further Decline in Wireless
Infrastructure Demand, Growth in New Subscriptions - Analyst Publishes Wireless
Projections Handbook for Investors -
PORTLAND, Maine, May 29, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Although he expects low double- digit year-over-year growth in both global wireless subscriber (14.3 percent) and handset (11.3 percent) rates in 2003, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Senior Wireless Communications Equipment Analyst Samuel May believes the demand for wireless infrastructure will decline by 14.8 percent for the same period. In a new in-depth research report titled 2003 Global Wireless Projections-The Book, May makes forecasts such as these and outlines his expectations and outlook for the wireless industry for 2003 and 2004. This includes forecasts for wireless subscribers, wireless handsets and wireless infrastructure.
Wireless Subscribers
In 2002, wireless subscribers grew by 198 million, down from 224 million net additions in 2001. At the end of 2002, wireless subscribers totaled 1,152 million, up from 954 million in 2001. For year-end 2003, May is forecasting 1,317 million wireless subscribers or net additions of 165 million, which represents growth of 14.3 percent year-over-year. Additionally, in 2004, he anticipates net additions will decrease to 140 million and worldwide subscribers will total 1,457 million (10.6 percent year-over-year growth).
According to May, net subscriber additions in the United States in 2003 are expected to continue to slow, as the market is expected to surpass the 50 percent penetration mark and reach late stage maturation. He is forecasting net additions of 10 million subscribers for the region in 2003. Additionally, China is expected to remain the fastest-growing country with 55 million net additions in 2003, versus 62.0 million in 2002. Code division multiple access (CDMA) is expected to represent 11.0 million of net additions in 2003. India exhibited record growth in 2002 with 5.0 million net additions, up from 2.4 million in 2001. May is forecasting 11.2 million net additions in the region in 2003. Other regions expected to grow nicely in 2003 include Brazil and Russia.
Wireless Handsets
Post first quarter results, May's mobile phone forecast for 2003 remains unchanged at 445 million, which represents 11.3 percent growth from more than 400 million in 2002. In 2004, he expects mobile phone sales to grow by 13.5 percent to 505 million.
May believes the rate of handset replacements will make substantial gains in 2003. The replacement rate is expected to improve to 24.3 percent, versus 21.2 percent in 2002 and 21.4 percent in 2001. In absolute terms, this implies the sale of 280 million handsets in 2003. In 2004, he expects the replacement rate will climb to 27.7 percent, with 365 million replacement handsets sold.
"The catalysts fueling replacements include the increased introduction of color handsets, embedded cameras, MP3 players and value-added features such as global positioning systems and gaming," say May. "Additional catalysts include the replacement of old, outdated phones, many of which are two-plus years old."
Additionally, May expects handset manufacturers such as Nokia Corporation (NOK, Outperform, $17.76, #), SAMSUNG and LG Electronics to grow over coming years. "While original design manufacturers (ODMs) are expected to represent a disruptive force over the next couple of years, we believe a dichotomy will emerge between strong and weak ODMs with the latter beginning to fade away as insufficient unit volumes for smaller players are unable to support viable business models," said May.
Wireless Infrastructure
In 2003, May expects the demand for wireless infrastructure to decline by 14.8 percent (compared with industry expectations of 10-15 percent), as first quarter 2003 results for equipment suppliers were worse than expected and declined by 20 percent year-over-year.
In May's opinion, service providers will maintain a conservative posture with regard to capital investment in 2003, as many remain focused on improving internal financial health of operations and balance sheet metrics.
"Investment in wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA) equipment will continue to languish into 2004, as carriers seek validation for the demand of data services before moving forward with investments," said May. "That said, we believe infrastructure spending will reverse its four-year decline and return to modest growth in 2005."
To receive a copy of 2003 Global Wireless Projections-The Book, clients and members of the media should contact Dana Wade at dwade@pjc.com or 415-277-1556.
About U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray
U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp, is a focused securities firm comprised of four business lines: Equities and Investment Banking, Fixed Income Capital Markets, Private Advisory Services and Investment Research. The firm provides a full range of investment products and services to individuals, institutions and businesses and has over 124 offices in 25 states across the country. For more information on U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, visit www.piperjaffray.com .
Rating Definitions
Investment Opinion: Investment opinions are based on each stock's return potential relative to the overall market*, not on an absolute return.
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Strong Buy: Expected to outperform the relevant broader market index over the next 6 to 12 months. An identifiable catalyst is present to drive appreciation.
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Outperform: Expected to outperform the relevant broader market index over the next 12 to 18 months.
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Market Perform: Expected to perform in line with the relevant broader market index over the next 6 to 12 months.
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Underperform: Expected to underperform the relevant broader market index over the next 6 to 12 months.
* Broader market indices = Russell 2000 and S&P 500
Volatility Rating: Our focus on growth companies implies that the stocks we recommend are typically more volatile than the overall stock market. We are not recommending the "suitability" of a particular stock for an individual investor. Rather, it identifies the volatility of a particular stock.
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Low: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 10% in a month in fewer than 8 of the past 24 months.
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Medium: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 20% in a month in fewer than 8 of the past 24 months.
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High: The stock price has moved up or down by more than 20% in a month in at least 8 of the past 24 months. All IPO stocks automatically get this volatility rating for the first 12 months of trading.
The following disclosures apply to stocks mentioned in this report if and as indicated: (#) U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray (USBPJ) was making a market in the Company's securities at the time this research report was published. USBPJ may buy and sell the Company's securities on a principal basis. (^) A USBPJ analyst who follows this Company or a member of the analyst's household has a financial interest (a long equity position) in the Company's securities. (@) Within the past 12 months, USBPJ was a managing underwriter of an offering of, or dealer manager of a tender offer for, the Company's securities or the securities of an affiliate. (>) USBPJ has either received compensation for investment banking services from the Company within the past 12 months or expects to receive or intends to seek compensation within the next three months for investment banking services. (~) A USBPJ analyst who follows this Company, a member of the analyst's household, a USBPJ officer, director, or other USBPJ employee is a director and/or officer of the Company. (+) USBPJ and its affiliates, in aggregate, beneficially own 1% or more of a class of common equity securities of the subject Company. (=) One or more affiliates of U.S. Bancorp, the ultimate parent company of USBPJ, provided commercial banking services (including, without limitation, loans) to the Company at the time this research report was published.
Nondeposit investment products are not insured by the FDIC, are not deposits or other obligations of or guaranteed by U.S. Bank National Association or its affiliates, and involve investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.
USBPJ research analysts receive compensation that is, in part, based on revenues of USBPJ Equities and Investment Banking, which include overall investment banking revenues. USBPJ research analysts who follow this Company report to the Head of Investment Research who, in turn, reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray.
This material is based on data obtained from sources we deem to be reliable; it is not guaranteed as to accuracy and does not purport to be complete. This information is not intended to be used as the primary basis of investment decisions. Because of individual client requirements, it should not be construed as advice designed to meet the particular investment needs of any investor. It is not a representation by us or an offer or the solicitation of an offer to sell or buy any security. Further, a security described in this release may not be eligible for solicitation in the states in which the client resides. Officers or employees of affiliates of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, or members of their families, may have a beneficial interest in the Company's securities and may purchase or sell such positions in the open market or otherwise.
Notice to customers in the United Kingdom: This report is a communication made in the United Kingdom by U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray to market counterparties or intermediate customers and is exclusively directed at such persons; it is not directed at private customers and any investment or services to which the communication may relate will not be available to private customers. In the United Kingdom, no persons other than a market counterparty or an intermediate customer should read or rely on any of the information in this communication.
Securities products and services offered through U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, member SIPC and NYSE, Inc., a subsidiary of U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB).
Additional information is available upon request.
SOURCE U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray
CONTACT: Dana Wade, Public Affairs and Media Relations of U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, +1-415-277-1556URL: http://www.piperjaffray.com http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: Maine MinnesotaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: FIN TLS CPRSUBJECT CODE: ECO SVY
Great post loop.eom
Mickey, I'm calling G.W. and ask him to give me a bigger tax cut......I can't wait to speak to him.
I would hang up also.eom.
3G Americas' White Paper Shows Growing Preeminence of GSM in Latin
America And the Caribbean
BELLEVUE, Wash., May 29, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The implications of GSM's rapid growth in the Latin American and Caribbean mobile sector are the subject of a just-released study by 3G Americas entitled GSM's Rise to Preeminence in the Latin American and Caribbean Mobile Marketplace, which demonstrates the reasons why GSM is the best technological choice for the future growth of mobile operators. The study defines and explains distinctive periods in the region's mobile development by tracing technology trends from 1986 to 2002 that culminate in an ever-stronger presence for GSM.
The analysis identifies three phases in the development of mobile technology in the region: beginning with the introduction of analog services in 1986, usually by a state-owned operator; followed by a second phase, from 1997 to 2000, when mobile telephony moved from a luxury to a popular service with the introduction of additional spectrum and newly-licensed digital mobile operators; and entering in 2001 a third era of increased competition, marked by explosive growth largely through greatly expanded introductions of GSM technology.
The author of the paper, Dr. Richard Downes, Director of Latin America and the Caribbean for 3G Americas, noted that, "By looking at both the region as a whole and at specific markets across time, it is possible to see how GSM operators have leveraged GSM's unique attributes to gain more market share than other new entrants. Clearly, investment decisions are moving GSM towards a dominant market share on a regional basis."
"The recent opening of the mobile marketplace to additional providers and the resulting intense competition have created an environment highly favorable to the growth of GSM," remarked Downes. "Of the 24 new digital networks in the region, 18 deployed GSM technology while there were only three deployments of CDMA and TDMA respectively. Additionally, with 25 of 31 TDMA operators selecting the GSM-based route to third generation services, GSM has become the de-facto technology of choice for future growth."
GSM's Rise to Preeminence in the Latin American and Caribbean Mobile Marketplace presents market examples for Brazil, Chile, Mexico and the Caribbean. In all cases, new GSM operators have experienced market growth that far exceeded all other technologies.
"GSM is the fastest growing mobile technology in Latin America," stated Chris Pearson, Executive Vice President of 3G Americas. "It is expected that in four years GSM will replace TDMA as the leading mobile technology in the region and this may be attributed to GSM's tremendous economies of scale, technical merits, and its ability to generate revenue through innovative services and international roaming."
"Pyramid Research forecast that GSM subscribers in Latin America will grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 49% between 2002 and 2008, reaching almost 75 million users by the end of the period," commented Juliana Abreu, Senior Analyst, Latin America for Pyramid Research. "Furthermore, GSM's participation in the Latin American mobile market will grow from 7% of total subscribers at year-end 2002 to 44% by 2008."
GSM is the most extensively used digital mobile network technology in the world, reporting 847 million customers in 175 countries on 640 GSM mobile networks. With GSM, customers can roam in hundreds of countries throughout the world with their same phone and number.
The full GSM's Rise to Preeminence in the Latin American and Caribbean Mobile Marketplace white paper is available for free download in English, Spanish, and Portuguese from the 3G Americas' website at www.3gamericas.org.
About 3G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Wireless Technology
The mission of 3G Americas is to promote and facilitate the seamless deployment of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and UMTS throughout the Americas for the benefit of consumers. The organization fully supports the Third Generation (3G) technology migration strategy GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS adopted by many operators in the Americas that will globally account for up to 85% of the world's next-generation subscribers. 3G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, WA. For more information, visit our website at www.3gamericas.org.
3G Americas' Board of Governor members include AT&T Wireless (USA), Cable & Wireless (West Indies), Cingular Wireless (USA), Ericsson, HP, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Openwave Systems, Research In Motion, Rogers Wireless (Canada), Siemens, T-Mobile USA, Telcel (Mexico), and Telecom Personal (Argentina).
CONTACT: Vicki Livingston of 3G Americas, +1-262-242-3458, or vicki.livingston@3gamericas.org.
SOURCE 3G Americas
CONTACT: Vicki Livingston of 3G Americas, +1-262-242-3458, or vicki.livingston@3gamericas.orgURL: http://www.3gamericas.org http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: CaliforniaINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR TLS CSESUBJECT CODE: SVY
ScanSoft Introduces X/mode Multimodal System for Interactive Wireless
Applications X/mode Simplifies the Development and Delivery of Interactive
Services and Applications for Mobile Phones, Microsoft Tablet PCs and Other
Wireless Devices
PEABODY, Mass., May 28, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ScanSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSFT), a leading provider of imaging, speech and language solutions, today introduced the X/mode(TM) Multimodal System, an innovative telephony platform that simplifies the development and delivery of interactive services and applications for mobile phones, Microsoft Tablet PCs and other wireless devices.
The proliferation of mobile communications and portable computing devices has created new opportunities for wireless applications and services, one that has been hampered by small screens and keypad-based user interfaces. Wireless multimodal technologies overcome these limitations by enhancing traditional interfaces with speech recognition and synthesized speech, which when combined with a keypad and touch-screen, provide users with a more efficient way to interact with the application or service. X/mode multimodal applications can be used on any supported 2.5G or 3G mobile device, including those from Nokia, Siemens, Sony Ericsson and Motorola.
"Wireless carriers are examining a number of new technologies and services, including multimodality, that can take advantage of the 2.5 and 3G networks that are increasingly in place," said Benjamin Farmer, managing analyst, voice business, Datamonitor, Inc. "By adding multimodal technologies to its portfolio, ScanSoft is better positioned to meet service providers' needs for innovative new services, and help shape the future of this emerging market."
ScanSoft X/mode enables a new generation of interactive applications, such as multimodal information services using the new Nokia 3650 cellular phone. For example, callers accessing a "Starbucks Finder Service" would request the location of the nearest Starbucks Coffee shop by voice, and while listening to details spoken back to them, would see an interactive map showing the precise location displayed on the color screen of the Nokia handset. At any point in time the user would have the option to speak or use the keypad to input information into the Nokia device and then view the response in text and graphics. Natural-sounding synthesized speech can be used to communicate additional information related to the graphical display, maximizing the effectiveness of the overall application.
"Multimodal applications will help mobile phone manufacturers and wireless service providers reach even greater potential, accelerating their offerings beyond simple voice services and games towards highly interactive services," said Paul Ricci, CEO at ScanSoft. "The addition of the X/mode Multimodal System to our portfolio further strengthens ScanSoft's position as a leading provider of telephony applications and development tools."
X/mode is based on technology gained through ScanSoft's acquisition of Lobby7 during the first quarter of 2003. Lobby7, a Boston-based speech provider, developed carrier-grade wireless and multimodal technologies and applications.
Combining robust speech technologies with the latest in mobile Internet technology, X/mode supports important standards used by the speech and telephony industry, including VoiceXML and SALT, and provides developers with a simplified way to add multimodal capabilities to a wide range of wireless applications and services. The X/mode Multimodal System utilizes a thin-client/server model that includes the following components:
-- The X/mode Multimodal Server - A highly scalable multimodal application server designed to meet the needs of large commercial deployments, and operate in existing and next-generation wireless network infrastructures (e.g. GPRS, CDMA 1xRTT, EDGE and W-CDMA). Utilizing ScanSoft's innovative state and modality management architecture to seamlessly integrate voice and data infrastructures at the application server level, the server allows both channels to be used simultaneously. -- The X/mode Multimodal Client - A small-footprint software plug-in that manages multimodal interactions between devices and the X/mode Server; can be easily downloaded into the handset by the end user or pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Supported environments include Symbian 6.1/7.0, Nokia Series 60, UIQ, Microsoft Pocket PC and Smartphone, J2ME, BREW, and Windows CE/NT/2000/XP. -- The X/mode Multimodal SDK - An XML-based authoring suite that simplifies multimodal application development and maximizes time-to-market of multimodal offerings.
ScanSoft's X/mode Multimodal System can be used to enhance a wide range of commercial and in-house applications. ScanSoft has developed a number of reference applications, including:
-- Directory Assistance - With X/mode, traditional directory assistance is more interactive and easy to use than ever before. With X/mode DirectoryAssistance, users can simply speak the requested listing and receive graphical and text-based results, eliminating the need to quickly write down or memorize long listings or phone numbers. -- VoiceMap Navigation - Using X/mode's VoiceMap, users can ask their phones location-based questions such as the nearest coffee shop or gas station - and receive a visual map with detailed step-by-step directions read to them in a natural-sounding human voice. -- Sales Force Automation - X/mode CRM enables field sales people to interact with their customer and product information, even allowing them to enter sales reports and orders by voice. -- Customer Self-Service - X/mode enables the delivery of applications that can improve customer service - from anywhere and at any time. Multimodal applications simplify the search for information, from account balance and stock transactions to reservations and purchases. Speech enhances the experience by saving time, while graphical information provides assurance that the information is correct. Pricing and Availability
Mobile phone manufacturers, service providers, carriers, telephony application developers and enterprise organizations can purchase the X/mode Multimodal System directly from ScanSoft. For additional information and pricing, please visit www.ScanSoft.com/xmode or call 781.684.4861.
About ScanSoft, Inc.
ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT) is a leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft(R) products and technologies, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.
Trademark reference: ScanSoft and X/mode are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with market trends, competitive factors, and other risks identified in ScanSoft's SEC filings. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.
NOTE TO EDITORS: In the product name X/mode noted in this news release, there is a pipe symbol between X and mode. This symbol may not appear properly in some systems.
SOURCE: ScanSoft, Inc.
CONTACT: ScanSoft, Inc. Jonna Schuyler, 978/977-2038 Email: jonna.schuyler@scansoft.com or FitzGerald Communications Deborah Figlioli, 617/585-2249 dfiglioli@fitzgerald.comURL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTSINDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE E-COMMERCE INTERNET HARDWARE PRODUCT
Japan's NTT DoCoMo to Test 4G System
TOKYO, May 28, 2003 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- Japan's cell phone giant NTT DoCoMo said Wednesday it will conduct a field experiment of a fourth-generation wireless communications system that can relay high-quality video.
Fourth-generation or 4G technology zaps information about 260 times faster than NTT DoCoMo's 3G service, which was launched in October 2001 and is about 40 times faster than current cell phones, the company said in a news release.
DoCoMo researchers have been working on a successor to 3G since 1998 and hope to begin commercial service by 2010. The company says 4G video will be as good as high-definition television, it said.
In indoor experiments, the 4G system can download data at up to 100 megabits per second - about 2,000 times faster than dial-up modems - and achieve uplink speeds of 2 megabits per second.
The field trial will be conducted in Yokosuka, a city of 430,000 just south of Tokyo.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
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APO Priority=r APO Category=1700 (PROFILE (COUNTRY:Japan; ISOCOUNTRY3:JPN; UNTOP:142; UN2ND:030; APGROUP:Asia;) )
KEYWORD: TOKYO SUBJECT CODE: 1700
LG Mobile Phones Grabs Nearly 19 Percent Of U.S. CDMA Market; Takes Third
Place Among Manufacturers Through Strategic Sponsorships and a Fashionably
Functional Line of Handsets, LG Mobile Phones Has Taken Domestic and Global
Markets by Storm
SAN DIEGO, May 28, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Since entering the U.S. mobile handset market in 1998, LG Mobile Phones has rapidly climbed from newcomer to fierce competitor, now ranked third in the U.S. among handset manufacturers and claiming 19 percent of the U.S. CDMA handset market in 2002, according to Strategy Analytics. Strategy Analytics also stated that LGE supplied 5.6 million CDMA and GSM mobile phones worldwide and captured 5.2 percent market share, subsequently outperforming Sony Ericsson, which supplied 5.2 million units and captured five percent market share.
LG has wooed customers away from larger manufacturers with innovative handsets that successfully blend fashion and function, letting customers enjoy stylish handsets without sacrificing reliability or economy. In addition to the successful CDMA presence in the U.S., LG has also announced that they will be expanding into the U.S. GSM market later this year.
Dramatically increased awareness for LG and its products has been achieved through strategic community outreach programs, key sponsorships and the impending launch of a multi-million dollar branding campaign. Fans of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim will find the LG logo etched into the ice rink at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, Calif. and catch the logo alongside the action at World Champion Los Angeles Lakers games as well. Other sports sponsorships in varying degrees include the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, New York Yankees, the NBA's Big Ten and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"It's great to see a company grow to meet the needs of the market through both leading- edge handsets and strategic promotions," said Chris Ambrosio, director in the Global Wireless Practice at Strategy Analytics. "With its reputation as a CDMA handset innovator, we were not surprised to see how quickly LG Mobile Phones took hold of this highly competitive market since its entry into the U.S. in 1998. With the launch of GSM handsets later this year, LG will be able to leverage this same innovation strategy in a GSM market that is badly in need of devices with feature and design diversity. This expansion coupled with continued CDMA success paves the road to long-term volume growth for LG."
"When LG first entered the American marketplace in 1998 it was with the goal of growing our business with smart, fashionable, functional and reliable handsets," said Jeff Hwang, vice president of marketing, LG Mobile Phones. "Now people know the LG brand and the fashion, function and reliability it stands for."
About LG Electronics
Established in 1958 as Korea's pioneer consumer electronics company, LG Electronics is a global major player of Electronics and Information & Communications products. Over 55,000 employees working in 73 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world, LG Electronics strengthen core competencies in three main business companies: Telecommunication Equipment & Handset, Digital Display and Media, Digital Appliance.
Telecommunication Equipment & Handset Company provides total solutions ranging from wired and wireless handsets to telecommunication equipments. As the fruits of its concentrated endeavors in the innovation and development of leading-edge technologies in the field of next-generation wireless telecommunications, LG Electronics is steadily expanding its world market share in CDMA and W-CDMA(UMTS).
LG Electronics is focused on promoting Home Network and Mobile Network businesses based on cutting-edge Multimedia Application Technology along with Information and Communication Technology as its core business areas.
LG Electronics' Goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives easier than ever. For more information, please visit www.lge.com
About LG Mobile Phones
LG Mobile Phones' expertise in designing sleek, user-friendly phones has proven wildly successfully in the U.S. market, where the company's market share of all CDMA handsets has exponentially grown in just four years. LG has claimed nearly 19 percent of the CDMA market share in the U.S. for 2002, ranking LG third among CDMA manufacturers, according to analysts at Strategy Analytics. LG has plans to increase its market penetration even further with an aggressive brand campaign and a competitive line of next generation high-speed voice and data mobile phones.
Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., LG Mobile Phones is the North American wireless division of LGE USA, a business unit of LG Electronics of Seoul, Korea. With annual sales of approximately $16 billion, LGE employs more than 55,000 individuals worldwide and operates research and development, manufacturing and sales and marketing facilities around the world. LGE was the first manufacturer to commercialize the CDMA digital mobile communication system with its support of the launch of the SK Telecom Network in Korea. More information can be found at http://www.lgmobilephones.com.
SOURCE: LG Mobile Phones
CONTACT: LG Mobile Phones Melissa Elkins, 858/635-5329 Public Relations Manager LG Mobile Phone: 858/775-5358 melkins@lge.com or Bender/Helper Impact for LG Mobile Phones Krys Card Grondorf, 562/421-1842 LG Mobile Phone: 562/714-1842 krys_grondorf@bhimpact.comURL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA SOUTH KOREA INTERNATIONAL ASIA PACIFICINDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS HARDWARE
ScanSoft Introduces X/mode Multimodal System for Interactive Wireless
Applications X/mode Simplifies the Development and Delivery of Interactive
Services and Applications for Mobile Phones, Microsoft Tablet PCs and Other
Wiredal technologies to its portfolio, ScanSoft is better positioned to meet
service providers' needs for innovative new services, and help shape the future
of this emerging market."
PEABODY, Mass., May 28, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- ScanSoft X/mode enables a new generation of interactive applications, such as multimodal information services using the new Nokia 3650 cellular phone. For example, callers accessing a "Starbucks Finder Service" would request the location of the nearest Starbucks Coffee shop by voice, and while listening to details spoken back to them, would see an interactive map showing the precise location displayed on the color screen of the Nokia handset. At any point in time the user would have the option to speak or use the keypad to input information into the Nokia device and then view the response in text and graphics. Natural-sounding synthesized speech can be used to communicate additional information related to the graphical display, maximizing the effectiveness of the overall application.
"Multimodal applications will help mobile phone manufacturers and wireless service providers reach even greater potential, accelerating their offerings beyond simple voice services and games towards highly interactive services," said Paul Ricci, CEO at ScanSoft. "The addition of the X/mode Multimodal System to our portfolio further strengthens ScanSoft's position as a leading provider of telephony applications and development tools."
X/mode is based on technology gained through ScanSoft's acquisition of Lobby7 during the first quarter of 2003. Lobby7, a Boston-based speech provider, developed carrier-grade wireless and multimodal technologies and applications.
Combining robust speech technologies with the latest in mobile Internet technology, X/mode supports important standards used by the speech and telephony industry, including VoiceXML and SALT, and provides developers with a simplified way to add multimodal capabilities to a wide range of wireless applications and services. The X/mode Multimodal System utilizes a thin-client/server model that includes the following components:
-- The X/mode Multimodal Server - A highly scalable multimodal application server designed to meet the needs of large commercial deployments, and operate in existing and next-generation wireless network infrastructures (e.g. GPRS, CDMA 1xRTT, EDGE and W-CDMA). Utilizing ScanSoft's innovative state and modality management architecture to seamlessly integrate voice and data infrastructures at the application server level, the server allows both channels to be used simultaneously. -- The X/mode Multimodal Client - A small-footprint software plug-in that manages multimodal interactions between devices and the X/mode Server; can be easily downloaded into the handset by the end user or pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Supported environments include Symbian 6.1/7.0, Nokia Series 60, UIQ, Microsoft Pocket PC and Smartphone, J2ME, BREW, and Windows CE/NT/2000/XP. -- The X/mode Multimodal SDK - An XML-based authoring suite that simplifies multimodal application development and maximizes time-to-market of multimodal offerings.
ScanSoft's X/mode Multimodal System can be used to enhance a wide range of commercial and in-house applications. ScanSoft has developed a number of reference applications, including:
-- Directory Assistance - With X/mode, traditional directory assistance is more interactive and easy to use than ever before. With X/mode DirectoryAssistance, users can simply speak the requested listing and receive graphical and text-based results, eliminating the need to quickly write down or memorize long listings or phone numbers. -- VoiceMap Navigation - Using X/mode's VoiceMap, users can ask their phones location-based questions such as the nearest coffee shop or gas station - and receive a visual map with detailed step-by-step directions read to them in a natural-sounding human voice. -- Sales Force Automation - X/mode CRM enables field sales people to interact with their customer and product information, even allowing them to enter sales reports and orders by voice. -- Customer Self-Service - X/mode enables the delivery of applications that can improve customer service - from anywhere and at any time. Multimodal applications simplify the search for information, from account balance and stock transactions to reservations and purchases. Speech enhances the experience by saving time, while graphical information provides assurance that the information is correct. Pricing and Availability
Mobile phone manufacturers, service providers, carriers, telephony application developers and enterprise organizations can purchase the X/mode Multimodal System directly from ScanSoft. For additional information and pricing, please visit www.ScanSoft.com/xmode or call 781.684.4861.
About ScanSoft, Inc.
ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT) is a leading supplier of imaging, speech and language solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft(R) products and technologies, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.
Trademark reference: ScanSoft and X/mode are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other company names or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The statements in this press release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with market trends, competitive factors, and other risks identified in ScanSoft's SEC filings. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.
NOTE TO EDITORS: In the product name X/mode noted in this news release, there is a pipe symbol between X and mode. This symbol may not appear properly in some systems.
SOURCE: ScanSoft, Inc.
CONTACT: ScanSoft, Inc. Jonna Schuyler, 978/977-2038 Email: jonna.schuyler@scansoft.com or FitzGerald Communications Deborah Figlioli, 617/585-2249 dfiglioli@fitzgerald.comURL: http://www.businesswire.comToday's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internetwith Hyperlinks to your home page.
Copyright (C) 2003 Business Wire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: MASSACHUSETTSINDUSTRY KEYWORD: TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE E-COMMERCE INTERNET HARDWARE PRODUCT
Sprint Certifies First Rugged Color Pocket PC Mobile Device by Intermec
For The Enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network Sprint Adds Intermec to Its PCS
Business Solutions Program to Meet Specialized Vertical Needs for Mobile
Applications in Field Sales, Field Service and Fleet Management
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. and EVERETT, Wash., May 28, 2003 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Sprint (NYSE: FON PCS), which operates the largest all-digital, all-CDMA Third-Generation (3G) wireless network in the United States, announced today that it has certified the 760 Color mobile computer from Intermec Technologies Corp. for the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. The Intermec 760 Color is the first rugged Pocket PC mobile computer certified for use on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS network. As part of the PCS Business Solutions Program, Intermec will work with Sprint to co-market, co-sell and co-brand its Pocket PC mobile device through value-added resellers (VARs) and distributors in the PCS Business Solutions Program to help meet the needs of vertical market applications in the areas of field sales, field service and fleet management.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO )
"Sprint is pleased to have these rugged Pocket PC mobile devices now available to enterprise customers as part of the PCS Business Solutions Program," said Phil Bowman, vice president of business marketing for the PCS Division of Sprint. "Our relationship with Intermec enhances our ability to meet the specialized needs of vertical markets that want greater efficiencies and productivity through access to mobile applications via the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network."
The 760 Color is the first enterprise Pocket PC mobile computer to offer an integrated Area Imager option to read 1D and 2D bar codes and support photography applications, including signature capture, making the 760 Color ideal for a wide range of mobile worker applications. The Intermec 700 Color Series is the first family of rugged mobile computers to integrate up to three radio communication options in a single device, including a wireless local area (802.11b) radio, a CDMA / 1xRTT wide area network radio and a fully integrated power-managed Bluetooth TM radio.
"Sprint customers now have a rugged, powerful computer option that lets them do more in route sales, field service, transportation and logistics and other extended enterprise mobile applications," said Intermec Vice President Scott Medford. "The speed and reliability of Sprint's CDMA / 1xRTT network is an outstanding option for 760 Series users, because it lets them take full advantage of the computer's features, including imaging capability for digital photography and signature capture."
Sprint introduced the PCS Business Solutions Program in October 2001 to extend its enterprise distribution channels for wireless data solutions beyond its national business sales force, third party office retailers and Sprint Business Dealer Network (SBDN).
About Intermec
Intermec Technologies Corp., a UNOVA Inc. (NYSE: UNA) company, is a leader in global supply chain solutions and in the development, manufacture and integration of wired and wireless automated data collection, Intellitag(R) RFID (radio frequency identification) and mobile computing systems. The company's products and services are used by customers in many industries to improve productivity, quality and responsiveness of business operations, from supply chain management and enterprise resource planning to field sales and service.
About Sprint
Sprint is a global communications company serving more than 26 million business and residential customers in over 70 countries. With approximately 72,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local voice and data services in 18 states and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States.
SOURCE Sprint PCS
CONTACT: Amy Schiska of Sprint, +1-913-762-7027, aschis01@sprintspectrum.com , or Kathie Jackson Anderson of Intermec, +1-425-348-2799, kathie.anderson@intermec.com /Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001013/SPRINTLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, +1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840URL: http://www.sprintpcs.com http://www.prnewswire.com
Copyright (C) 2003 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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KEYWORD: Kansas WashingtonINDUSTRY KEYWORD: CPR TLS NET HRDSUBJECT CODE: CON
Japan's top mobile carrier making field trial on fourth-generation
wireless system
TOKYO, May 28, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Japan's cell phone giant NTT DoCoMo said Wednesday it will conduct a field experiment of a fourth-generation wireless communications system that can relay high-quality video.
Fourth-generation or 4G technology zaps information about 260 times faster than NTT DoCoMo's 3G service, which was launched in October 2001 and is about 40 times faster than current cell phones, the company said in a news release.
DoCoMo researchers have been working on a successor to 3G since 1998 and hope to begin commercial service by 2010. The company says 4G video will be as good as high-definition television, it said.
In indoor experiments, the 4G system can download data at up to 100 megabits per second - about 2,000 times faster than dial-up modems - and achieve uplink speeds of 2 megabits per second.
The field trial will be conducted in Yokosuka, a city of 430,000 just south of Tokyo.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved
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APO Priority=r (PROFILE (WS SL:BC-AS-FIN-COM--Japan-NTT DoCoMo-4G; CT:f; (REG:EURO;) (REG:BRIT;) (REG:SCAN;) (REG:MEST;) (REG:AFRI;) (REG:ENGL;) (REG:ASIA;) (LANG:ENGLISH;)) )
KEYWORD: TOKYO
NTT DoCoMo to Introduce FOMA N2701 Handset for 2G/3G Networks
Tokyo, Japan, May 28, 2003 (JCN Newswire via COMTEX) -- NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (TSE: 9437) and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today the FOMA N2701, the first dual-network handset that works both with DoCoMo's 2G and 3G networks. The N2701 goes on sale nationwide on June 11, 2003.
The phone can be set to operate exclusively in 2G or 3G mode, or set to switch automatically between the two networks according to available signal strength. Currently, the FOMA network area extends to approximately 91% of Japan, while the mova 2G network covers approx. 100 % of the nation. As the dual handset realizes a vast service area, FOMA users can be assured of nationwide access, including such vicinities as mountainous regions.
The FOMA N2701 is a multitasking handset, meaning that the user can perform multiple tasks simultaneously, such as talk on the phone while downloading a file or browsing the web.
With DoCoMo's i-motion(TM) mail service, the FOMA N2701 can e-mail standard video clips of up to approximately 15 seconds (100 KB). Clips can be created with either of the unit's two built-in cameras, or downloaded from sites. The phone shoots video at up to 15 frames/second.
The N2701 has a 310,000-pixel CMOS outer camera on its side and a 100,000-pixel CMOS inner camera above the 2.2-inch, 65,536-color TFD screen. Twin "photo lights" (not strobes) are provided for shooting in dark situations.
The FOMA N2701 will be available through all DoCoMo sales channels. The price of the handset itself will be open (unfixed), and its standard accessory kit, including battery pack, AC adapter and desktop holder, will cost 4,400 yen. This price applies to the area covered by NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and may vary according to region.
Main Specifications of FOMA N2701
Height x width x thickness (folded) 104 x 51 x 28 mm Weight Approx. 130 g Continuous talk time FOMA (3G): Approx. 130 minutes mova (2G): Approx. 120 minutes Continuous stand-by time FOMA (3G): Approx. 230 hours (static) Approx. 170 hours (dynamic) mova (2G): Approx. 270 hours Data transmission speed Packet: Max. 384 Kbps (receive) Max. 64 Kbps (send) Circuit Switched: 64 Kbps Body color Gray or Pink Display 2.2-inch 65,536 color TFD screen Built-in CMOS cameras Outer: Approx. 310,000 effective pixels Inner: Approx. 100,000 effective pixels Neuropointer(TM) (pointing device) 360-degree movement Video clips Size: Max. 176 (w) x 144 (h) pixels Min. 128 (w) x 96 (h) pixels Archived i-appli(TM) Content: up to 30 KB Applications: up to 200 KB (Stored applications can be used as stand-by screens) i-motion Mobile MP4 format Files up to 300 KB Replay possible during downloads Images with text
Neuropointer is the trademark of NEC Corporation.
i-appli is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan.
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world's leading mobile communications company with more than 44 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode(R), the world's most popular mobile internet service, which provides e-mail and Internet access to over 35 million subscribers, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the world's first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and North and South America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in the Asia-Pacific, Europe and North and South America. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (TSE: 9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.
Source: NTT DoCoMo
Contact:
NTT DoCoMoInternational PR, Public Relations Departmentpress_dcm@nttdocomo.com+81 3 5156 1366
Copyright (C) 2003 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. A division of Japan Corporate News Network KK.
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