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Masters Of the Digital Age
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6199766/site/newsweek/
Samsung has trounced its rivals by spinning out gadgets like televisions, VCRs, cameras and phones at a dizzying pace. But can the company come up with a killer app of its own?
Yun says speed is essential if you're selling sushi or high technology
By Rana Foroohar and B. J. Lee
NewsweekOct. 18 issue - Lee Jong Jin, 51, is no couch potato. but lounging in his apartment overlooking the mountains of Seoul, the international trader has little reason to leave his sofa. As he watches an interactive game show, he uses the remote to send in answers. In a corner of the 50-inch plasma screen, he can link to his online bank, or control his air conditioner and cooker. Lee is one of thousands of Korean consumers involved in trial runs of Samsung Electronic's so-called Home Network, which allows digital products to talk to each other. If Samsung has its way, millions around the world will be running their homes—from the comfort of their couches—within a few years.
Samsung has not been lounging. Over the past decade it has moved from copying rivals like Sony to become the world's most profitable consumer-electronics company. Samsung leads the global market for color TVs, VCRs, liquid-crystal displays and digital memory devices. It's second to Nokia in cell phones, and catching up to Sony in DVD players. Since 1999 revenues have doubled, and profits have risen 20 times on the back of a unique strategy. "To catch up with the early birds, we had to be the fastest in commercializing original technologies," says CEO Yun Jong Yong.
Speed is driving Samsung—and Asia generally—to the forefront of the digital age. This year will likely be the first in which digital electronics—from high-definition TVs to smart phones—will outsell analog precursors. In the digital world all these products will be networked to each other—the "convergence" so hyped in the 1990s—creating the sort of "smart" living space imagined in science fiction. That's the idea, anyway. The change, says analyst Keith Woolcock of Westhall Capital in London, will be "the biggest event in technology for the next 10 years."
Asian competitors are sprinkled throughout the field, as multinationals race to control the digital age. While Japan is losing its lead in videogames, and efforts to build wired biotech hubs founder everywhere except Singapore, India is coming on fast in pure research and Taiwan in computer chips. But no company, perhaps anywhere in the world, has anticipated or profited from the early digital age more deftly than Samsung.
The race is drawing in companies from all fields, blurring old battle lines. Consumer-electronics companies are teaming with software giants while computer brands like Dell and HP are making TVs and redefining themselves as consumer-electronics companies. Those slow to converge get run over. Kodak is belatedly reinventing itself to catch the digital-camera boom. Motorola has lost market share to rivals adding snazzy digital accessories, such as cameras to new phones—rivals led by Samsung. "They definitely saw the digital age coming," says Gartner Research principal analyst Paul O'Donovan. "Five years ago Samsung was already at the leading edge of thinking."
Samsung makes chips, screens and other building blocks of the digital age, as well as the gadgets they run on. That allows Samsung to sell components to everyone and—so far—to avoid costly fights over who will control the next big device or standard (remember Betamax?). While Sony battles Microsoft and Nokia to control proprietary standards for game players and unleash "killer apps," the effort has yet to secure its place in the digital future. Samsung, meanwhile, waits for others to develop technology; then it improves on it, and pumps out a greater variety of finished products faster than anyone else. Yun calls speed the key to all perishable commodities, from sushi to cell phones. "Even expensive fish becomes cheap in a day or two," he says. "For both sashimi shops and the digital industry, inventory is detrimental. Speed is everything."
It's a model well suited to today's lightening-fast business cycles. Samsung didn't invent the first cell phone but it produces the largest variety: 100 new models a year, versus Nokia's two dozen. It didn't pioneer "flash" memory used in MP3s or digital cameras (Toshiba did) but now owns this extremely profitable market. It didn't develop CDMA mobile-phone technology (that was Qualcomm) but it commercialized the standard in Asia.
As a result, it has overtaken archrival Sony in profits and total stock-market value. Sony ruled a slower age when it could bring out a new gadget like the Walkman as a luxury item, and gradually lower the price and widen the market. Now, since the rise of cheap Asian manufacturing since the 1980s, companies need to bring out a constant stream of new products that sell immediately at high volume for a relatively low price, and are quickly displaced by the next new thing. Samsung is the king of this age—the fastest-growing brand name in the world, according to Interbrand consulting.
Its rise dates to the mid-1990s, when chairman Lee Kun Hee made the decision to transform Samsung from a second-tier manufacturer into a first-rate brand. Upset by a disturbingly high rate of product breakdowns, he launched a dramatic, even melodramatic, quality drive. A selection of products that had drawn complaints were displayed in the corporate lobby. Cell-phone division head Lee Ki Tae was ordered to watch as 15,000 inferior cordless phones made under his supervision were crushed by a bulldozer. "It made me obsessed with quality," says Lee, who now insists that phones be thrown against walls and run over by trucks in test labs.
When the Asian financial crisis hit in 1997, Samsung was already in reform mode. It shut 32 unprofitable businesses and axed 40 percent of its workforce. The one thing it didn't cut was R&D. While rivals trimmed back during the slump, and again after the collapse of the dot-com bubble three years later, Samsung seized these opportunities to boost research budgets in growth markets like semiconductors and LCD screens.
As the economy improved, the price of these digital commodities rose, and Samsung had the capacity and quality to meet demand. Now, it is on pace to hit a record $12 billion profit this year, which would make it the second most profitable technology company after Microsoft. "I don't know what the Korean equivalent of chutzpah is, but the board of Samsung have it in spades," says Woolcock.
Today, nearly a quarter of Samsung's 88,000 employees are researchers, churning out digital gadgets with a twist—color LCDs on cell phones, phones with PDAs. "They've been incredibly prolific, just putting a lot of arrows up into the air, and seeing what hits," says Apax Partners venture capitalist Paul Vais. Samsung's "show of force" at least year's consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas convinced Vais that "the Koreans are going to rule the earth."
Vais and others credit Samsung's "Darwinian" culture. Traditionally, companies like Sony have protected divisional fiefdoms—TV guys make TVs—but not Samsung. It encourages competition between four main divisions—semiconductors, telecommunications, digital media and flat-screen panels—which spurs innovations. A recent contest between the digital-camera team and the camcorder unit led to the development of DuoCam, a product that combined both. The four division heads are all in their early 50s and in the running to be the next CEO, heightening emotions. "Our diversity doesn't always mean synergy," says one senior executive. "Often, it means a bloody confrontation."
The main battlefield is the dull, gray, five-story Suwon research facility outside of Seoul, known as the "VIP center." It brings together top engineers, designers and marketers in brainstorming sessions that can trigger shouting matches over how to make the best electronic gadgets. Ph.D.s get their say (Samsung employs 1,500 of them), but innovation must be practical. "Our mission is to consumerize digital technology," says vice president Park Seung Soo, "and that means finding economies of scale." Employees working on products as varied as cell phones and freezers are encouraged to devise common parts. And they do. In 2002, Samsung introduced 30,000 new products—up from 18,000 two years before—with the same number of parts (67,000). The cost savings are huge.
There are, however, a few smart naysayers. Most of Samsung's profits come from products like LCD screens on which margins are beginning to fall under competitive pressure, particularly from China. In short, it's getting tougher for Samsung (as for Sony) to justify higher prices on the strength of quality.
So how to fight back? Some experts say Samsung will be overtaken by cheaper rivals unless it shifts strategies, and there are signs that it is. Over the past year it has begun acting as a first mover, seeking to set new industry standards in new partnerships—with Sony on LCD screens, Toshiba on memory devices, IBM on chips and Microsoft on operating systems for digital appliances. Those who doubt that Samsung can remain digital master of all things insist it needs a killer app of its own. On the other hand, many experts say the key to the digital future will be simplicity—figuring out how to make all these gadgets easy to use. That's a battle that would play to Samsung's greatest strengths. And back at the VIP Center in Suwon, Samsung engineers are already competing to make it happen.
© 2004 Newsweek, Inc.
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Subscribers Reach More than 8.3 Million
The CDMA Development Group (CDG) reported that CDMA2000 1xEV-DO is leading in the deployment of 3G broadband networks worldwide, with an established subscriber base exceeding 8.3 million users globally. To date, 11 operators have commercially launched 1xEV-DO networks in nine countries, including recent deployments by Alaska Communications Systems in the US, BellSouth Guatemala, Eurotel Praha in the Czech Republic and Smartcom in Chile.
(October 2004 Issue, Nikkei Electronics Asia)
http://neasia.nikkeibp.com/nea/200410/markwat_333702.html
Jim, sorry, I do not have the answer.
Qualcomm helping to open up DoCoMos network
Kevin Fitchard, 10.08.04, 3:07 PM ET
Telephony
http://www.forbes.com/technology/feeds/general/2004/10/08/generalprimemedia_2004_10_08_eng-primemedi...
Qualcomm and NTT DoCoMo today announced a partnership to promote Wideband CDMA roaming and break the Japanese carriers global 3G isolation using Qualcomms MSM6250 chipset.
Qualcomm and DoCoMo revealed they have been working together on interoperability testing of DoCoMos wideband CDMA network and, based upon successful results, will begin field trials of Qualcomms technology over the live Foma network. If the tests prove successful, Qualcomm plans to allow its handset vendor customers to incorporate the technology into their designs, allowing foreign carriers to roam on DoCoMos proprietary network.
While DoCoMo was the first carrier in the world to launch a 3G network, it used a hybridized version of W-CDMA, named Foma, which largely isolated it from other global networks. DoCoMo, however, has been one of the global proponents of W-CDMA and has been searching for ways not only to promote the technology worldwide, but allow carriers deploying the standardized version of the technology UMTS to roam on its homegrown network and popular data service i-mode.
"Its very important for us to cooperate with Qualcomm for the common goal of accelerating the global adoption of W-CDMA," DoCoMo chief technical officer Takanori Utano said in a statement. "We expect that W-CDMA handsets with Qualcomms chipsets will be adopted by many carriers throughout the world and will soon roam in DoCoMos network."
Qualcomm said several handset manufacturers are in discussions with Qualcomm to develop Foma i-mode phones using the new single chip solution and Brew client software. Qualcomm said the first of those handsets will appear in the second half of 2005.
For more information on this publication, or to subscribe to the print edition, visit http://www.telephonyonline.com.
NTT DoCoMo To Use Qualcomm Chips
News by Michael Oryl (editor) on Friday October 08, 2004.
http://www.mobileburn.com/news.jsp?Id=898&source=ARCHIVE
It appears that Japanese giant NTT DoCoMo is going to give up on their own proprietary flavor of WCDMA that they call JWCDMA. The company and US CDMA inventor Qualcomm announced that they have been doing interoperability tests since June of this year, and that in the future, manufacturers will be able to develop handsets for DoCoMo's FOMA network using Qualcomm chipsets.
Working with Qualcomm in this way should also mean that future phones designed for other networks that are based on Qualcomm's WCDMA chips will be able to roam into NTT DoCoMo's WCDMA network without problem. NTT DoCoMo also said that they expect the cooperation with Qualcomm and their less expensive, single chip designs will allow them to offer lower cost 3G handsets than they can currently.
UPDATE: Softbank Wants Part Of 3G Mobile Bandwidth
http://money.iwon.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt.jsp?cat=USMARKET&src=704&feed=dji§ion=n ews&news_id=dji-00005520040906&date=20040906&alias=/alias/money/cm/nw
Excerpt from above:
<<Softbank has been looking to obtain an 800 MHz license to enter the mobile phone market in Japan. Services offered in that band require less capital expenditure than those offered in alternative higher-frequency ranges. In addition, operating in the 800 MHz range would enable the firm to use well- established 3G mobile technology such as Qualcomm Inc.'s (QCOM) CDMA2000 1x.>>
For whom the cell tolls
Results from TI, MOT and QCOM will tell Wall Street how strong demand for cell phones really is.
July 19, 2004: 1:09 PM EDT
By Paul R. La Monica, CNN/Money senior writer
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Walk down any street in America and you likely will bump into somebody yakking away on a cell phone. And that should be great news for cell-phone chip suppliers Texas Instruments and Qualcomm, and phone manufacturer Motorola.
TI and Motorola (MOT: Research, Estimates) will report their second quarter results after the bell Tuesday and Qualcomm is scheduled to release its fiscal third quarter results following the market's close on Wednesday.
Analysts expect TI (TXN: Research, Estimates) to post a nearly 260 percent earnings increase, to 25 cents a share, on sales of $3.23 billion, up 38 percent from the same period a year ago. Motorola's earnings are forecast at 18 cents a share, compared to just a penny a share last year, with sales predicted at $8.5 billion, up 38 percent from last year.
And Wall Street is anticipating a more than 60 percent increase in profits for Qualcomm (QCOM: Research, Estimates), to 53 cents a share. Sales are expected to come in at $1.3 billion, a 45 percent jump from last year.
Still, Wall Street has its concerns about the health of the wireless sector due to continued troubles at cell-phone industry leader Nokia, which last week issued its third warning since April.
Nokia is a big TI customer so its woes have hit TI's shares. Motorola is the world's second largest maker of cell phones and is a major customer of Qualcomm.
But many think that Nokia's problems are specific to it, namely that the company hasn't done a good job of getting phones that customers want on the market. It would have been worrisome if Nokia had said consumers were not interested in new phones. But that wasn't the case.
Motorola is expected to report strong gains in handset unit volume when it announces its latest results, a sign that is taking market share from Nokia.
"Consumers are moving up the ladder and buying more sophisticated phones. Demand is still strong," said Ted Parrish, co-manager of the Henssler Equity fund. Parrish said he recently bought shares of Nokia following its big price decline.
Demand is there, but chip companies may be better bets
Though demand may be strong, investors will need to keep an eye on Motorola's operating profit margins.
Shares of TI have taken a tumble this year but Motorola and Qualcomm have surged.
The problem, said Casey Ryan, an analyst with Wells Fargo Securities, isn't price wars, as many analysts fear. Rather, it's that cell-phone makers are spending more and more on advanced chips to provide sophisticated features, such as color screens, cameras and other multimedia functions.
"Companies like Nokia and Motorola are building a lot more feature rich phones and it's the increase in components costs that's starting to hurt them," said Ryan. "They're adding more chips per phone but are not getting corresponding price increases in the phones."
So while this might be a reason to be worried about profit growth for Nokia and Motorola, it should boost sales and earnings for TI and Qualcomm as well as other chip manufacturers.
Intel and AMD both reported strong results from their flash memory chip divisions last week. And M-Systems, an Israeli-based maker of flash memory chips used in cell phones, reported better than expected second quarter results Monday and lifted its earnings and sales guidance for the remainder of the year.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/19/technology/cellphones/
Qualcomm Lauds Mexican 1x
07.19.04
SAN DIEGO -- QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, congratulates Grupo Iusacell, a provider of cellular telephony products and services in Mexico, on its nationwide commercial launch of third-generation (3G) CDMA2000 1X services and the first launch of downloadable wireless products and services based on QUALCOMM's BREW solution in Mexico. Iusacell's new BREW-based service offers its CDMA2000 1X subscribers the ability to browse and download an array of applications including e-mail, games, ring tones, entertainment, business and communication services on their wireless devices.
"Mexico represents a significant, growing market for BREW-based services, and QUALCOMM is proud to collaborate with Iusacell on this launch," said Peggy Johnson, president of QUALCOMM Internet Services. "By enabling the delivery of superior, comprehensive wireless services with its new CDMA2000 1X network and the BREW system, Iusacell clearly illustrates its dedication to providing value and a rich wireless experience to its customer base."
With the BREW system, content developers can build applications in a variety of languages, including Spanish, allowing Iusacell to provide products and services specifically tailored to the Mexican market.
"As the first operator to introduce BREW-based services in Mexico, Iusacell's subscribers will enjoy the most sophisticated wireless technology and services currently available," said Gustavo Guzman, chief executive officer, Iusacell. "Choosing both CDMA2000 1X and the BREW solution was an easy decision. The incredible flexibility of these technologies allows simple, cost-effective delivery of the most advanced data services that Iusacell customers want and need."
Qualcomm Inc.
Grupo Iusacell S.A. de C.V.
http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=56318
KDDI takes the high-speed lead
Tomomi Sekioka Bloomberg News Monday, July 19, 2004
Its hip phones and low rates leave DoCoMo playing catch-up
TOKYO Mitsuko Abe's KDDI mobile phone can download a 30-second video clip in 20 seconds. The high-speed service costs her a third less than she used to pay to NTT DoCoMo, Japan's biggest mobile phone operator, which pioneered the technology.
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"I switched to KDDI from DoCoMo last month after my daughter showed me how much I could cut my call rates," said Abe, a 55-year-old Tokyo homemaker. KDDI's family-member discount is saving her as much as 36 percent on her monthly cellphone bill.
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After initially trailing DoCoMo in the high-speed wireless market, KDDI - Japan's No.2 mobile operator - has surpassed the unit of Japan's former phone monopoly, winning more than three times as many subscribers to the service. KDDI's shares have risen 18 percent in the past year, compared with a 37 percent drop for DoCoMo.
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KDDI's president, Tadashi Onodera, has helped the company's high-speed service outsell DoCoMo's by offering lower rates and handset extras like car-navigation systems and FM radios - and by focusing on Japan. DoCoMo spent ¥1.8 trillion, or $16.6 billion, from 1999 to 2001 on stakes in overseas partners including AT&T Wireless Services, and wrote off more than half those investments. KDDI has bought no cellphone stakes outside Japan.
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"KDDI kept its eye on Japan while DoCoMo was distracted by its overseas investments," said Naoki Fujiwara, a fund manager at Shinkin Asset Management in Tokyo.
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KDDI's third-generation mobile service had 14.7 million users in Japan, the world's No.3 cellphone market, at the end of June. DoCoMo's competing service, the world's first when it was introduced in October 2001, had 4.58 million. KDDI - whose sales are about half those of DoCoMo - signed up more new overall subscribers for the first time in the year that ended March 31.
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In 2002, KDDI stopped selling new subscriptions to its second-generation service, which offers slower Web access and limited video downloading and targets users who want basic phone services. High-speed subscribers account for more than 80 percent of KDDI's 17 million mobile users. They make up less than 10 percent of DoCoMo's 47 million mobile subscribers, with the rest using the older network.
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In addition to offering perks like car-navigation systems and family discounts, KDDI attracts young users by marketing itself as hipper. The company's designer handsets include one with an oversized keypad designed like a colored checkerboard and a superthin magnesium-alloy body.
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"Our edge over competitors is that we have our finger on the pulse of what customers want," Onodera said at a June press conference. He did not respond to requests for an interview for this article.
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Onodera's bet on advanced wireless services in Japan is bolstering KDDI's profit, which doubled in the year that ended March 31 as the company added subscribers. DoCoMo's profit rose 21 percent, excluding a write-off the previous year for overseas investments. Both companies will report earnings for the April-to-June quarter next week.
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Onodera is close to his goal of cutting debt by half to ¥1 trillion in the four years to March 2005. KDDI had ¥1.2 trillion in debt at the end of March, down from ¥2.2 trillion three years earlier.
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DoCoMo's FOMA high-speed service may be set for a comeback, said Hitoshi Hayakawa, an analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston in Tokyo. The company introduced two handsets this month featuring smart-card computer chips that can be used as electronic money, and plans to roll out two more by the end of July. It's also cutting fees to match KDDI discounts, and the quality of the service is improving to match KDDI's, according to Hayakawa.
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"KDDI's runaway victory is over," Hayakawa said. "People no longer think FOMA handsets have no advantages over KDDI's, and that will stop DoCoMo users switching over to KDDI."
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KDDI's lead over DoCoMo in the advanced-wireless market has already narrowed. At the end of June 2003, KDDI's service had 16 times more subscribers than DoCoMo's. Now, it has three times more.
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Masao Nakamura, who became president of DoCoMo last month, said he aimed to switch half the company's Japanese mobile customers to FOMA within two years. In February, DoCoMo introduced new FOMA handsets with longer battery lives and expanded network coverage to moving trains and the insides of office buildings.
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Nakamura's predecessor, Keiji Tachikawa, was less focused on winning customers at home than on making DoCoMo's wireless Internet technology the worldwide standard.
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"I want to meet any carrier that doesn't want DoCoMo's technology," Tachikawa said in July 2000, after announcing the acquisition of a 20 percent stake in the British mobile unit of Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong.
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DoCoMo agreed in May to sell the stake to Hutchison.
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Tachikawa's overseas expansion included minority stakes in six companies including AT&T Wireless, KPN of the Netherlands and Hutchison - and lessened DoCoMo's focus on its home market. In exchange for ownership stakes, DoCoMo supplied its wireless Internet technology to the companies. When their share prices collapsed with the technology bubble in 2001, the value of those investments plummeted.
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As DoCoMo juggled its foreign investments, KDDI introduced a competing third-generation service in Japan in April 2002, six months after DoCoMo's Japanese service debuted. By the end of its first month, KDDI's service had more subscribers than DoCoMo's.
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Part of KDDI's advantage was that the new service used its existing wireless network powered by Qualcomm's code division multiple access, or CDMA, technology.
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DoCoMo's network, built from scratch, suffered startup glitches that caused some users to switch to KDDI. In September 2002, Tachikawa blamed "limited network coverage, unattractive handsets and a lack of killer applications" for stunting the service's sales growth.
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KDDI has stayed ahead of DoCoMo by offering lower rates for its CDMA2000 1X service. The company introduced Japan's first flat fee for wireless data transmission in November 2003, and offers steeper family and student discounts than DoCoMo.
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DoCoMo, which forecasts its first-ever annual decline in sales and operating profit this fiscal year, is fighting back. Last month, the company introduced a flat monthly fee of ¥3,900 - ¥300 cheaper than KDDI's - for data transmission including Web access, downloading music and sending e-mails.
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"The price war is getting tougher," Onodera said last month when KDDI introduced a new ¥2,000 monthly fee for limited data transmission.
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Even as DoCoMo steps up efforts to win third-generation subscribers in Japan, KDDI still has advantages including cheaper handsets and better network coverage, said Hideaki Kurimoto, a fund manager at Meiji Dresdner Asset Management.
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The most expensive handset for DoCoMo's FOMA service sells for about ¥35,000, while KDDI's top-of-the-line handsets cost about ¥25,000.
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"DoCoMo can't regain market share from KDDI unless it cuts the handset price to ¥20,000," Kurimoto said.
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Bloomberg News
http://www.iht.com/articles/530000.html
Verizon Wireless unveils remote access service
July 15, 2004 12:29 PM EST
BEDMINSTER, N.J.—Verizon Wireless unveiled its VZAccess Manager service, which allows customers to manager their remote access needs from anywhere in the country using the carrier’s CDMA2000 1x EV-DO BroadbandAccess or 1x-based NationalAccess wireless PC cards and Mobile Office Kits.
The service, which was co-developed with Verizon Wireless stakeholder Vodafone Group plc, provides users with a variety of connection options for remote access including the carrier’s wireless data networks, Wi-Fi, dial-up via IS95A, Quick2Net and GPRS/UMTS. In addition, the service interface includes a usage log of data sessions, text-messaging capabilities from the laptop, the ability to launch commonly used applications through one interface, and default access to a customer defined Internet browser and e-mail application.
VZAccess Manager is available through select device packages, can be installed from a CD, or can be downloaded from Verizon Wireless’ Web site.
Sprint PCS included a similar service with its Wi-Fi Access launch last year through its Connection Manager software that allowed customers to manage their network access using a single interface.
http://rcrnews.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?newsId=18854
Weekly Wrap: Turning the Tables
By Carlo Longino, Fri Jul 16 09:15:00 GMT 2004
Quarterly earnings start to trickle in, showing how much the handset market has changed, DoCoMo makes some moves, and more...
Sony Ericsson and Nokia both reported second-quarter earnings, and their differing fortunes reflect how the tables have turned for device vendors. Sony Ericsson's focus on imaging and multimedia capabilities has been to its benefit, as sales and profits continue to grow, while Nokia's still suffering the effects of a product lineup out of touch with consumer desires. Nokia is trying to protect its market share with price cuts, but those, too, are hurting the bottom line. The dynamics of the market and the momentum have clearly shifted to the company's competitors.
US carrier AT&T Wireless was expected to launch a WCDMA network, the country's first, sometime this year, but rumors emerged this week that it would happen next week. AT&T has an obligation to NTT DoCoMo to launch in four cities by the end of the year, with a $6 billion penalty if they don't comply. Evidently the deal stands regardless of the impending Cingular buyout, but the timing of the launch is certainly curious, as the US Department of Justice is asking some hefty questions of the carriers. Should the deal not go through, AT&T is covered, and has a 3G jump on Cingular. If the deal goes through as expected, the two carriers have eliminated what was a significant DoCoMo bargaining chip as it looks to sell off its stake in AT&T.
One place where 3G has already taken hold in a big way is South Korea -- numbers came out this week saying 90% of users there are on 3G nets, though those figures do count CDMA2000 1xRTT as a third-generation technology. Strip out 1xRTT, and 23% of Korean users are on "true" 3G networks, far higher than Japan, which tends to make a lot more noise in the media. But the two countries taken together represent more than a third of the world's 1xRTT subscribers and 95% of EV-DO subs, along with Japan having three-fourths of the world's WCDMA users. The "lessons of i-mode" is a common industry catchphrase, but how long will it be before people be talking about what they've learned from Korea?
Speaking of Japan, NTT DoCoMo hit the headlines this week when it unveiled its VoWLAN/3G handset. The device is quite different than other Wi-Fi-enabled handsets that have been announced, as it uses the connection only for voice, and relies on the mobile network for data, opposite of most similarly equipped devices. DoCoMo, though, like other carriers, is concerned about VoWLAN eating into its voice revenues, and the handset is only compatible with a particular NEC wireless PBX system, and can't be used a public hotspots.
The carrier also said this week it was investing in chip powerhouse Texas Instruments and another chipmaker to develop single-chip processors that bridge the its 3G FOMA network and the world's 2G and 2.5G nets. DoCoMo is seeding investment because its not-exactly-standard network doesn't generate enough business to create economies of scale, in turn increasing the subsidies it must pay to make its handsets attractive to end users, driving up its costs.
Hong-Kong based carrier 3 is constantly in and out of the media, with every story questioning the company's efficacy and success quickly followed up by a much more positive spin from the company. The latest retort came from the managing director of 3 parent Hutchison Whampoa himself, Canning Fok, in a rare interview. He refused to acknowledge any of the widely held doubts about the carrier's success, saying that everything has gone and is going to plan. It was a rather bizarre interview that started with Fok blasting the reporters' old GSM phone as "embarassing", and went from there as Fok attempted to blow off and deny most every question put to him.
3 is also evendently in talks with Australian carrier Telstra over a network-sharing deal that would see the two operators share a WCDMA network. But Telstra might not even need 3G, since it appears to be testing nearly every possible wireless technology. It has both CDMA and GSM, is implementing EV-DO, has big plans for Wi-Fi and is now testing Flarion's Flash-OFDM technology.
Japanese operator KDDI's success is unquestionable, as the company's made great gains on number-one DoCoMo in the last few years, and is looking to keep the momentum. KDDI said this week that some of its new handsets have an interface that uses Macromedia's Flash Lite, but more interestingly, committed to bringing fuel-cell powered handset prototypes out by the end of the 2005 fiscal year.
A report came out this week saying that location-based services are (again) about to explode, but unfortunately only consider location-based ads. The analysts that wrote the report say previous LBS efforts failed because networks and technology were immature, but maybe it's because the applications they're so enamored with -- little more than location-triggered spam -- aren't very compelling to end users, while a number of social applications heavy on utility and light on technological demands are already successful today. Rate this article
by clicking on - or +
Elsewhere on the site this week, Douglas Rushkoff goes in search of the ultimate power, Steve Wallage talks to another mobile researcher and David Pescovitz takes a closer look at mobile-phone viruses.
http://www.thefeature.com/article?articleid=100890
Verizon Wireless's BroadbandAccess Gets Software Support
July 16, 2004 (10:41 a.m. EST)
TechWeb News
Verizon Wireless's BroadbandAccess high-speed wireless network will be supported by user-oriented software that facilitates access to e-mail, Internet surfing, and file uploads and downloads. The single, unified software application has been created by Smith Micro Technology.
The Smith Micro offering works with Verizon Wireless's VZAccess Manager, which enables subscribers to BroadbandAccess to manage their phones across the country. The wireless service provider has operated the high-speed network in San Diego and Washington since the end of 2003, and is currently building out the network in major U.S. cities.
“The new tool is a single, unified application supporting Verizon Wireless's BroadbandAccess (EV-DO) and National Access (1xRTT) data services and customers' own Wi-Fi and dialup via IS95A networks,” the firms stated. Subscribers will be able to obtain the VZAccess Manager offering with Verizon Wireless's Mobile Office kits.
The new software will enable subscribers to obtain VPN connections and Wi-Fi links as well. Verizon Wireless said VZAccess Manager automatically senses whether a subscriber is linked to BroadbandAccess, NationalAccess, or Wi-Fi cards and then sets up the subscriber's computer in minutes.
http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20040716S0001
EV-DO Subscribers to Reach 8m in Korea
July 16, 2004 - source: Telecoms Korea
The number of subscribers to cdma200 1x EV-DO, the 3G mobile service that delivers peak data speeds of 2.4Mbps, turned out to be nearly 8 million as of the end of June.
According to the Ministry of Information and Communication, the subscribers to EV-DO totaled at 7.7 million, 5.39 million from SK Telecom and 2.31 million from KTF. The figure is expected to exceed the 10 million mark by the yearend as SK Telecom and KTF aim to raise the number to 7 million and 3 million respectively.
In the meantime, the number of subscribers to 2.5G service, cdma2000 1x stood at 30.5 million, which can be interpreted as that about 84.7% of 36.01 million of the total mobile service subscribers use cdma2000 1x .
SK Telecom was reported to have 16.20 million or 53 % of subscribers to cdma2000 1x service while KTF have 9.99 million or 32.8% and LG Telecom have 4.29 million or 14.0%.
http://www.3gnewsroom.com/3g_news/jul_04/news_4723.shtml
Two snips from Goldman on Nokia.
Courtesy of Cooters from SI Qualcomm Inc Board:
http://www.siliconinvestor.com/stocktalk/msg.gsp?msgid=20316388
You are correct, it should have been $300,000.
Your tax basis is always $300.000. However, the split adjusted cost basis for each of QCOM share may change : from 60 to 30 in case of 1 for 2 split. The total adjusted cost basis should alway be the same, that is $300,000.
Very Interesting Rechearch Notes on Nextel & CDMA EV-DO
http://www.newratings.com/new2/beta/article_444697.html
Lucent Technologies "market perform"
Thursday, July 15, 2004 11:15:58 AM ET
Morgan Keegan
NEW YORK, July 15 (New Ratings) - Analyst Simon M Leopold of Morgan Keegan maintains his "market perform" rating on Lucent Technologies (LU.NYS).
Lucent Technologies provides communications equipment, software and services to global wireline and wireless network providers.
According to Morgan Keegan's research note dated July 13 and published this morning, the FCC has approved a frequency spectrum swap for Nextel. Lucent Technologies is likely to provide wireless data networking infrastructure solutions to Nextel, the analyst says. Nextel's capital expenditure budget is likely to be more than $2 billion in 2005, the analyst adds.
Nextel is likely to deploy CDMA EV-DO technology for wireless data networking services in the forthcoming quarters, the analyst mentions. Lucent Technologies would provide the CDMA infrastructure for Nextel, since both companies have already discussed the deployment and placement of base stations for Nextel, the analyst says.
The EPS estimates for 2004 and 2005 are $0.12 and $0.15, respectively. The P/E estimates for 2004 and 2005 are 28.2x and 22.5x, respectively.
Morgan Keegan maintains its "market perform" rating on Lucent Technologies.
http://www.newratings.com/new2/beta/article_444697.html
Your statement << a holding of 5000 @60 shares before the split will net 10,000 shares @30 post split>> is correct.
Your initial cost was $60. Now your split adjusted cost is $30. Your total cost is always $30,000.
ANADIGICS Announces Production Shipments to LG Electronics for the VX7000 Handset
< back
ANADIGICS InGaP HBT Power Amplifiers Enable LG VX7000 CDMA Handset with
Embedded Camera, Color Screen, Flash, and Zoom Control
WARREN, N.J., July 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ANADIGICS, Inc.
(Nasdaq: ANAD), a leading supplier of wireless and broadband solutions, today
announced that the Company is shipping production volumes of InGaP HBT (indium
gallium phosphide heterojunction bipolar transistor) power amplifiers (PAs) to
LG Electronics, a global provider of electronics and telecommunications
products, for the innovative VX7000 CDMA handset with embedded digital camera.
The ANADIGICS AWT6135 InGaP HBT PA met LG Electronics' stringent performance
and size requirements for the VX7000.
"LG continues to deliver greater handset functionality through the
powerful combination of advanced multimedia tools and designs," said Mr. Mun
Hwa Park, President of LG Telecommunications and Handset Company. "The VX7000
provides users with the ability to express their personality through
multimedia features, such as an embedded camera, color screen, flash, and zoom
control. ANADIGICS' innovative PA solutions provide LG Electronics with the
superior performance and reliability required in the advanced design of the
VX7000 camera phone."
"ANADIGICS has continuously gained CDMA market share by providing handset
manufacturers with best-of-breed solutions, backed by world-class customer
support," said Dr. Bami Bastani, President & CEO of ANADIGICS, Inc. "Our
portfolio of advanced CDMA PA solutions enables our customers to overcome the
challenges of integrating advanced multimedia capabilities without sacrificing
battery life. We look forward to working closely with LG in the design of
future platforms that provide users with a rich multimedia experience to serve
their digital lifestyle."
ANADIGICS' AWT6135 PA module optimizes performance to enable longer talk
time and drive power-hungry handset features such as color screens, high speed
data access and embedded cameras. The AWT6135 InGaP HBT PA module provides
selectable bias modes and a shutdown mode with low leakage current in a small
4mm x 4mm PA module to enable longer battery life in wireless handsets.
For additional information, contact ANADIGICS by phone (908) 668-5000 or
FAX (908) 668-5132 or visit the Company's Web site at
http://www.anadigics.com.
ANADIGICS, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANAD) designs and manufactures radio frequency
integrated circuit (RFIC) solutions for growing broadband and wireless
communications markets. The Company's innovative high frequency RFICs enable
manufacturers of communications equipment to enhance overall system
performance, and reduce manufacturing cost and time to market. By utilizing
state-of-the-art manufacturing processes for its RFICs, ANADIGICS achieves the
high-volume and cost-effective products required by leading companies in its
targeted high-growth communications markets. ANADIGICS was the first GaAs IC
manufacturer to receive ISO 9001 certification and is certified to the ISO
9001:2000 quality standard.
Except for historical information contained herein, this press release
contains projections and other forward-looking statements (as that term is
defined in the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). These projections
and forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current views with
respect to future events and financial performance and can generally be
identified as such because the context of the statement will include words
such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," or words of similar import.
Similarly, statements that describe our future plans, objectives, estimates or
goals are forward-looking statements. No assurances can be given, however,
that these events will occur or that these projections will be achieved and
actual results and developments could differ materially from those projected
as a result of certain factors. Important factors that could cause actual
results and developments to be materially different from those expressed or
implied by such projections and forward-looking statements include those
factors detailed from time to time in our reports filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2003, and those discussed elsewhere herein.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=SVBIZINK1.story&STORY=/www/story/07-15-2004/00...
Telefonica Moviles Consolidates Leadership in Peru, Launching 3G Services Using Technology from Nortel Networks
LIMA, Peru --(Business Wire)-- July 15, 2004 -- The Peruvian operator of the Telefonica Moviles Group, the wireless market leader in Peru(a), has begun offering a comprehensive line-up of third generation (3G) mobile services nationwide using an advanced wireless data network solution from Nortel Networks (NYSE:NT)(TSX:NT).
Telefonica Moviles Peru first launched these new services in November 2003 in the capital city of Lima and has now finalized the first phase of expansions of its 3G network in the provinces.
The new network - based on CDMA2000 1X technology - positions the Telefonica Moviles affiliate as the leading operator in Peru in offering advanced mobile data services like high-speed Web browsing, video downloads, single and multi-user games, sending and receiving e-mails and photos, chat, ring tones, location-based services and many more.
"We're always working to bring the latest in advanced services to our customers," said David Holgado, director of Technology and Services, Telefonica Moviles Peru. "We were able to count on Nortel Networks vast experience in deploying CDMA2000 1X overlays to help us complete this new, world-class mobile infrastructure. Today, that gives us an edge in responding to and even moving ahead of market demand for superior voice quality and advanced mobile data applications."
Nortel Networks began the overlay of Telefonica's 3G CDMA (code division multiple access) network in the fourth quarter of 2003. This included radio base stations and base station controllers, mobility switching, software and network services.
"With the new CDMA 1X infrastructure, Telefonica Moviles Peru has the necessary capacity to manage subscriber growth and roll out new, revenue-generating services across the country," said Alvio Barrios, Telefonica account vice president, Caribbean and Latin America, Nortel Networks. "We continue to work with innovative wireless operators like Telefonica in Latin America and around the world to transform their networks, eliminate boundaries and enrich communications for their customers."
About Telefonica Moviles Peru
A subsidiary of the Telefonica Moviles Group, Telefonica Moviles Peru is the first company in Peru to commercially launch third generation technology, which is already serving about 300,000 customers. At the end of the first quarter of 2004, it had more than 1.63 million active customers, registering an estimated 52 percent market share, confirming its leadership in the country's wireless market. Its growth and profitability have validated Telefonica Moviles Peru as one of the most solid companies in the country.
About Telefonica Moviles
Telefonica Moviles handles the wireless telephony activities of the Telefonica Group around the world. It is one of the first global wireless phone companies and the leader in the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking wireless markets, with more than 54.5 million customers. It has recently reached an agreement to purchase the Latin American wireless assets of BellSouth, which pushes its customer base to over 66 million. In the quarter of 2004, it had net earnings of 423 million euros, representing 17.9 percent of sequential growth. Telefonica Moviles is traded on the Spanish stock markets and on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TEM.
About Nortel Networks
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 or www.nortelnetworks.com/media_center.
Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events.
Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the outcome of Nortel Networks independent review and planned restatement of its previously announced or filed financial results; the impact of the management changes announced on April 28, 2004; the impact of the inability to meet Nortel Networks filing obligations on support facilities and public debt obligations; the sufficiency of Nortel Networks 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; continued reductions in spending by Nortel Networks customers; fluctuations in Nortel Networks operating results and general industry, economic and market conditions and growth rates; the communication by Nortel Networks auditors of the existence of material weaknesses in internal control; Nortel Networks ability to recruit and retain qualified employees; fluctuations in Nortel Networks cash flow, level of outstanding debt and current debt ratings; the use of cash collateral to support Nortel Networks normal course business activities; the dependence on Nortel Networks subsidiaries for funding; the impact of Nortel Networks defined benefit plans and deferred tax assets on results of operations and Nortel Networks cash flows; Nortel Networks dependence on new product development and its ability to predict market demand for particular products; Nortel Networks ability to integrate the operations and technologies of acquired businesses in an effective manner; the impact of rapid technological and market change; the impact of price and product competition; barriers to international growth and global economic conditions, particularly in emerging markets and including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of rationalization in the telecommunications industry; changes in regulation of the Internet; the impact of the credit risks of Nortel Networks customers and the impact of customer financing and commitments; stock market volatility generally and as a result of acceleration of the settlement date or early settlement of Nortel Networks purchase contracts; the impact of Nortel Networks supply and outsourcing contracts that contain delivery and installation provisions, which, if not met, could result in the payment of substantial penalties or liquidated damages; the future success of Nortel Networks strategic alliances; and the adverse resolution of litigation, investigations, intellectual property disputes and similar matters.
For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the most recent Form 10 Q/A and Form 10-K/A 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 Business Without Boundaries are trademarks of Nortel Networks. (a) Based on number of subscribers, per Pyramid Research 1Q-2004 Peru Mobile Forecast.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2004/Jul/1056998.htm
QCOM's Mkt Cap is greater than NOK's Mkt Cap Today @ 9:06 AM ET
At the close yesterday
QCOM's Mkt Cap = 56.41 Billions
NOK's Mkt Cap = 66.39 Billions
Today @ 9:06 AM ET
NOK was down by 15.73%, see below:
NOK's Mkt Cap =66.39 x .84.27= 55.95 Billions
Symbol Time* Trade* Change* After Hrs Chg* Bid* Ask*
NOK 9:06AM ET 12.00 -2.24 (15.73%) N/A 11.99 12.02
QCOM 8:41AM ET 69.70 +0.07 (0.10%) N/A 69.39 69.90
Summary for Today @ 9:06AM ET:
QCOM's Mkt Cap(56.41B)> NOK's Mkt Cap(55.95B)
This is Unbelievable!
More than 30 million of Korea's 34 million mobile-phone customers are currently registered for third-generation (3G) services, receiving mobile Internet access and video entertainment, according to industry insiders yesterday.
According to figures tracked through June, around 30.5 million mobile-phone users have subscribed to Korea's 3G standard cdma1x and cdma2000 1x EVDO, just three years after the launching of cdma1x in 2001.
SK Telecom Co., the country's largest mobile-phone operator, has 16.2 million cdma1x subscribers, followed by KT Freetel Co. and LG Telecom Co. with 9.9 million and 4.3 customers, respectively.
SK Telecom also leads the cdma2000 1x EVDO business with 5.4 million customers, followed by KTF with 2.3 million customers.
The government promotes cdma2000 1x EVDO and the GSM-based rival technology W-CDMA as the country's standard for 3G mobile telephony. There are only about 1,300 W-CDMA customers in Korea.
The industry is divided on whether to label cdma1x as 3G telephony, although many industry experts regard the platform as ?_stealth 3G.?¡¾ considering its data-casting functions.
(thkim@heraldm.com)
2004.07.15
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/07/15/200407150014.asp
Zacks Buy List Highlights: Ceradyne, KB Home, Altera & QUALCOMM
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 2004--Zacks.com releases another list of stocks that are currently members of the coveted Zacks #1 Ranked list which has produced an average annual return of +34.2% since inception in 1988 and has gained +139.7% since January 2000 when the market was in the grips of the worst bear market in 60 years. Among the #1 ranked stocks today we highlight the following companies: Ceradyne, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRDN) and KB Home (NYSE:KBH). Further they announced #2 Rankings (Buy) on two other widely held stocks: Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) and QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM). To see the full Zacks #1 Ranked list or the rank for any other stock then visit. http://at.zacks.com/?id=88
Here is a synopsis of why these stocks have a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy). Note that a #1 Strong Buy rating is applied to 5% of all the stocks we rank:
Ceradyne, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRDN) develops, manufactures and markets advanced technical ceramic products and components for industrial, defense, consumer and microwave applications. Earnings estimates for the year ending December 2004 remain above levels from three months ago by 21 cents, or approximately +19%. Late April saw Ceradyne put together a robust first quarter thanks in large part to demand for high-quality lightweight ceramic body armor. The company reported net income of 31 cents per diluted share on sales of $36.7 million. That earnings result eclipsed the consensus by about +24%, while marking the company's sixth consecutive quarter of earnings per share that beat Wall Street expectations. New bookings for the quarter reached $34 million, compared to $29.1 million a year ago. Looking forward, Ceradyne said lightweight ceramic armor for a wide variety of other applications, especially ground-based vehicles, represent promising growth areas for the company. Ceradyne's products are in demand right now, so investors may want to consider steeling their portfolios with a position.
KB Home (NYSE:KBH) is one of America's premier homebuilders with domestic operating divisions in some of the fastest-growing regions and states. In mid-June, KB Home posted fiscal second quarter diluted earnings of $2.40 per share, which was +24% better than the year-ago result of $1.94. It also bettered the consensus by almost +15%. Total revenues rose to $1.57 billion, compared to $1.44 billion last year. Furthermore, company-wide net orders grew +28% to 10,726 in the quarter from 8,397 in the year-ago quarter. Earnings estimates for the year ending November 2004 are above levels from one month ago by 40 cents, or approximately +4%. KB Homes currently operates in 35 of the country's top 75 markets, and continues to seek out expansion opportunities in regions with robust growth in jobs and population. With an excellent record of topping Wall Street's quarterly earnings expectations, and a strong plan for the future, KB Home looks to have a lot of momentum moving forward.
Here is a synopsis of why these stocks have a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). Note that a #2 Buy rating is applied to 15% of all the stocks we rank:
Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) is the world's pioneer of system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions. In late April, Altera enjoyed another quarter of strong growth for its new products, and reported first quarter net income of 15 cents per diluted share that almost doubled the year-ago results of 8 cents. The result was also more than +15% in front of the consensus, while marking the ninth consecutive quarter of earnings per share that either matched or topped Wall Street expectations. Sales reached $242.9 million in the quarter, marking jumps of +12% and +25% on a sequential and year-over-year basis respectively. Earnings estimates for this year, ending December 2004, remain above levels from three months ago by 11 cents, or approximately +19%. Altera is an innovative company that appears to have a bright future ahead as it continues to advance its leadership position in SOPC solutions. The company will report its second quarter results on July 21st.
QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on its CDMA digital technology. QUALCOMM is scheduled to report its fiscal third quarter numbers on July 21. In May, the company said it expects revenues in the quarter to increase by about +44% to +46% year-over-year, excluding the QUALCOMM Strategic Initiatives segment. That compares to its prior guidance of growth between +41% and +44%. Likewise, the company said it now expects earnings per share, excluding the segment, of 51 cents to 53 cents, instead of 48 cents to 40 cents. QUALCOMM also decided to increase its guidance for fiscal 2004. This all comes in the wake of the company's fiscal second quarter report in late April, where earnings per share, excluding the QSI segment, topped the consensus by more than +10%. QUALCOMM has enjoyed numerous upward revisions from analysts in the past several weeks, and earnings estimates for the year ending September 2004 are up 29 cents, or about +16%, from three months ago. QUALCOMM is an innovative company with a lot of potential for the future, which is good news for shareholders moving forward.
To truly take advantage of the Zacks Rank, you need to first understand how it works. That's why we created the free special report; "Zacks Rank Guide: Harnessing the Power of Earnings Estimate Revisions." Download your free copy now to prosper in the years to come. http://at.zacks.com/?id=89
About the Zacks Rank
For over 15 years the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988 the #1 Ranked stocks have generated an average annual return of +34.2% compared to the (a)S&P 500 return of only +12.0%. Plus this exclusive stock list has generated total gains of +139.7% since January 2000 as the market suffered its worst downturn in 60 years. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). And since 1988 the S&P 500 has outperformed the Zacks #5 Ranked Strong Sells by 96.9% annually (12.0% vs. 6.1% respectively). Thus, the Zacks Rank system can truly be used to effectively manage the trading in your portfolio.
For continuous coverage of Zacks #1 Ranked stocks, then get your free subscription to "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter where we highlight #1 Ranked stocks poised to outperform the market. http://at.zacks.com/?id=90
The Zacks Rank, and all of its recommendations, is created by Zacks & Co., member NASD. Zacks.com displays the Zacks Rank with permission from Zacks & Co. on its web site for individual investors.
About Zacks
Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978 to compile, analyze, and distribute investment research to both institutional and individual investors. The guiding principle behind our work is the belief that investment experts, such as brokerage analysts and investment newsletter writers, have superior knowledge about how to invest successfully. Our goal is to unlock their profitable insights for our customers. And there is no better way to enjoy this investment success, than with a FREE subscription to "Profit from the Pros" weekly e-mail newsletter. For your free newsletter, visit http://at.zacks.com/?id=91
Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.
(a)The S&P 500 Index ("S&P 500") is a well-known, unmanaged index of the prices of 500 large-company common stocks selected by Standard & Poor's. The S&P 500 includes the reinvestment of all dividends, no transaction costs, and represents the gross returns before management fees.
Disclaimer: Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should always research companies and securities before making any investments. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/altavista/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040713...
LG Mobile Phones and AT&T Wireless Offer Phones to Match Your Lifestyle With the Launch of Two Sleek New GSM Handsets
Tuesday July 13, 8:04 am ET
LG Continues its Rapid Growth in the GSM Space With Two New Color-Screen Handsets for AT&T Wireless
SAN DIEGO and REDMOND, Wash., July 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Today, LG Mobile Phones and AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE - News) introduced two new handsets, the L1150 and the G4015, continuing the new carrier relationship kicked off by the G4011 and further expanding LG's presence in the GSM marketplace. These two handsets from LG offer AT&T Wireless customers a range of features and price options without sacrificing style or those little "cell phone extras" that impress your friends. Color screens, instant messaging, polyphonic sound with downloadable ringers -- both handsets have them all, with other advanced features that make the L1150 and G4015 attractive options for AT&T Wireless customers.
The G4015 is currently available through all AT&T Wireless outlets and is also featured as a pre-paid phone with the company's GoPhone service. The L1150 is expected to available in early August.
"We recognize that the mobile phone needs of our customers are as diverse as the customers themselves," said Ketan Kamdar, vice president-device development at AT&T Wireless. "These new LG Mobile Phones provide our customers with a range of feature choices that offer great benefits at every price point."
Snap it, show it, and share it with the new L1150 camera phone from LG Mobile Phones and AT&T Wireless. The L1150 is one of LG's first GSM camera phones for the United States, and they are debuting in style with this sleek and powerful handset. Never miss a photo opportunity again with the L1150's integrated VGA camera, featuring the latest in features like digital zoom, white balance adjustment, color effects adjustments and multi-shot capability, which allow users to take up to nine shots in a row, making their very own action sequence. Advanced messaging features allow users to share their photos with friends and family, personalizing each photo mailed with text, voice or sound messages.
The L1150 also includes the following features:
- Tri-Band: (850/1800/1900 MHz)
- Dimensions: 3.39" (H) x 1.73" (W) x 1.02" (D)
- Weight: 3.35 oz.
- Standard Lithium Ion Battery (820 mAh)
- Handy 5-Way Navigation Key with One-Button mMode(TM) Access**
- Talk Time*: Up to 6.9 Hours (3.6 hours typical)
- Standby Time*: Up to 234 Hours
- Integrated VGA Digital Camera
- 330,000 Pixel Images
- Digital Zoom
- White Balance, Color Effects, Resolution, and Brightness Adjustments
- Customizable Shutter Sound
- Multi-shot Adjustment -- up to 9 shots in a row
- Dual LCD Display:
- Internal: 65K Color TFT, 128 x 160 Pixels, 8 lines of text
- External: Mono, 96 x 64 Pixels, 1 line of text
- Photo Caller ID display
- Built-In Web Browser
- Java(TM) Support for Application and Game Downloads**
- Take, Send, and Receive Picture Messages with Sound**
- Send and Receive Text and Instant Messages**
- Voice-Activated Dialing
- Personal Organizer with Calendar and Phone Book
- Phone Book for 255 Contacts, each with multiple entries
- Speed Dial (9 entries)
- Alarm Clock, Voice Memo, Memo, Calculator
- Integrated Headset Jack
- T9 Text Input
- Download Graphics and Polyphonic Ring Tones**
- Customize with 5 Wallpaper Choices or Download Up to 10 More
- Customize with 10 Ring Tones
*Battery talk and standby times are estimates only.
**AT&T Wireless service required.
In addition to the new L1150 camera phone, LG and AT&T Wireless are also debuting the G4015 handset, which packs all the style and capabilities of a more expensive mobile phone into a slim, economical package. Sleek and unique, the G4015 phone from LG offers the perfect combination of style and innovation at a price guaranteed to appeal to every customer. The dual band G4015 handset offers so much for so little, with a 65K color screen, multimedia messaging, as well as text and instant messaging, 40 polyphonic sound and one-touch mMode Internet access, all in a slim, sleek handset that weighs in at less than three ounces.
The G4015 also includes the following features:
- Dual Band (850/1900 MHz)
- Dimensions: 3.19" (H) x 1.69" (W) x 0.82" (D)
- Weight: 2.84 oz.
- Standard Lithium Ion Battery (760 mAh)
- Talk Time*: Up to 9 Hours (4 hours typical)
- Standby Time*: Up to 280 Hours
- 5-Way Navigation Key with One-Button mMode(TM) Access**
- LCD Display: 65K Color STN, 128 x 128 Pixels, 6 lines of text
- Built-In Web Browser
- Java(TM) Support for Application and Game Downloads**
- Send and Receive Text and Instant Messages**
- Send and Receive Multimedia Messages with Graphics, Pictures, and
Sound**
- Personal Organizer with Calendar and Phone Book
- Phone Book for 255 Contacts, each with Multiple Entries
- Speed Dialing for 9 Numbers
- Alarm Clock, Voice Memo, Notepad, Calculator, World Clock, and
Unit Converter
- Integrated Headset Jack
- T9 Text Input
- Download Graphics and Polyphonic Ring Tones**
- Customize with 5 Wallpaper Choices or Download Up to 10 More
- Customize with 10 Ring Tones
*Battery talk and standby times are estimates only.
**AT&T Wireless service required.
"LG is pleased to take another step forward in our relationship with AT&T Wireless with the release of the new L1150 and G4015," said Jon Maron, director of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. "LG prides itself on designing and manufacturing a wide variety of CDMA and GSM mobile phones with diverse feature sets to offer customers a range of options, a mission that is embodied in these two new handsets."
Customers can purchase the G4015 for $49.99 (after rebates) when signing a two-year contract. The L1150 will be available for $119.99 (after rebates) when customers sign a two-year contract. The phones will be available at all AT&T Wireless outlets and online at www.attwireless.com.
About AT&T Wireless
AT&T Wireless (NYSE: AWE - News) is the second-largest wireless carrier, based on revenues, in the United States. With 21.692 million subscribers as of March 31, 2004, and revenues of more than $16.8 billion over the past four quarters, AT&T Wireless delivers advanced high-quality mobile wireless communications services, voice and data, to businesses and consumers, in the U.S. and internationally.
About LG Electronics
LG Electronics, Inc. (066570KS) was established in 1958 as the pioneer in the Korean consumer electronics market. The company is a major global force in electronics and information and communications products with more than 64,000 employees working in 76 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. With annual total revenues of more than US $16.9 billion (non-consolidated), LG Electronics comprises three main business companies: Digital Display & Media, Digital Appliance, Telecommunication Equipment & Handset.
The LG Telecommunication Equipment & Handset Company provides total solutions ranging from wired and wireless handsets to telecommunication equipment. The company is a leader in the innovation and development of cutting-edge technologies in next-generation wireless telecommunications and is steadily expanding its global market share in 3G (WCDMA / cdma2000) wireless systems.
LG Electronics' goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives better than ever. For more information, please visit www.lgusa.com
Source: LG Electronics, Inc.; AT&T Wireless
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040713/latu039_1.html
Verizon Wireless Awards $5 Billion Contract to Lucent Technologies for Next-Generation Network Expansion; Agreement to Support Network Spans Lucent's Entire Solutions Portfolio; Lucent Remains Verizon Wireless' Largest Infrastructure Supplier
BEDMINSTER, N.J. & MURRAY HILL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 13, 2004--Verizon Wireless, the nation's leading wireless service provider, and Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) today announced an agreement worth at least $5 billion for Lucent to supply a wide variety of network equipment, software and services for Verizon Wireless' national next-generation voice and data network. With this agreement Lucent will continue as Verizon Wireless' primary next-generation network infrastructure supplier.
The equipment, software and services from Lucent will make it possible for Verizon Wireless to increase the coverage and capacity of its existing next-generation voice network and high-speed, wide-area BroadbandAccess data network based on CDMA2000 1xEV-DO technology. This agreement also will enable Verizon Wireless to cost-effectively evolve its network to provide next-generation voice, data and video services in the future while preserving its investments in its existing network.
"At Verizon Wireless, we're focused on our growing customer base and ensuring that they have the highest quality products and services," said Dick Lynch, executive vice president and chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless. "Lucent has long been a key supplier and has helped us provide our customers the most satisfying wireless experience possible. Going forward, we're going to count on Lucent as we roll out high-speed mobile data services nationwide and continuously improve the quality and reliability of our network."
Under the agreement, Lucent will provide infrastructure and technology spanning its entire portfolio, including Bell Labs-developed wireless, optical and data networking equipment along with network management and applications software. Among the products to be supplied are Lucent's Flexent(R) Modular Cell 4.0 base stations. Lucent Worldwide Services will perform network optimization, integration, planning and design and deployment services.
Verizon Wireless will also participate in the Lucent Market Advantage Program as the company continues to expand its network and offer mobile high-speed data services, such as corporate Internet and Intranet access, downloading of video and PowerPoint files and others, to its enterprise and residential customers.
"Verizon Wireless has always been a leader in delivering the most advanced, reliable and innovative services to its customers," said Cindy Christy, president, Mobility Solutions for Lucent Technologies. "Over the next few years we look forward to supporting their efforts to introduce new services such as blended voice and data services, enhancing their position as one of the world's leading wireless service providers."
This agreement includes the $525 million contract announced in March, naming Lucent as a key supplier for Verizon Wireless's BroadbandAccess high-speed data network, and it replaces the previous agreement the two companies announced in March 2001.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 40 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.
About Lucent Technologies
A global leader in the development of commercial 3G spread-spectrum solutions, Lucent's Mobility Solutions Group has deployed CDMA2000, CDMA450, and W-CDMA/UMTS networks with more than 30 customers on the continents of North and South America, Asia, Europe and in the Australia/New Zealand region. Lucent has deployed more than 90,000 spread-spectrum base stations for mobile operators worldwide, of which 50,000 are already supporting 3G services.
Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit www.lucent.com.
CDMA2000 is a trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040713005...
Nextel Enhances Product Portfolio; Introduces the Motorola i710
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 8, 2004--
A Combination of Value and Performance; the i710 is Designed for Simplicity While Still Delivering Powerful Features Like Direct Connect(R) and A-GPS Technology
Nextel Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTL) today announced the availability of the Motorola i710; a compact clamshell-style phone that delivers powerful performance at a moderate cost. The i710 is designed for simplicity, while still delivering outstanding features wireless customers demand; including industry firsts like International Direct Connect(SM), allowing instant communication throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Argentina and Brazil and A-GPS technology that enables the only real time turn-by-turn visual and audible driving directions available from a domestic carrier.
The i710 features a vibrant 65,000-color screen, is equipped with Java(TM) technology and is designed for the budget conscious who value Nextel's integrated wireless phones and advanced features.
Other key features of the i710 include:
-- Speakerphone for convenient hands-free conversations
-- Voice recorder - captures memos or incoming phone conversations for future playback(1)
-- 600-entry contact manager - store up to eight numbers for a single name
-- Voice-activated dialing - speak to dial numbers
-- Wallpaper randomizer - rotate stored wallpapers downloaded from www.nextel.com/downloads, on a set time basis to refresh and personalize the main screen appearance
-- Downloadable applications & games - pre-loaded programs such as Advanced Calculator, TeleNav 2.2 with compass, a 3D Baseball demo and Tetris puzzle game demo. 2 MB of additional memory enables you to download more at www.nextel.com/downloads.
-- Airplane mode - turn off the network connection and use applications, games, voice recorder and date book while in flight (subject to FAA regulations)
-- Profiles - Develop profiles and adjust settings for a variety of personal and business environments
-- Three Pre-loaded wallpapers - with ability to download more right from the phone
-- Audio caller ID - user-assignable ring tones allow users to instantly identify important calls without having to look at the phone(2)
The i710 weighs just over 5 ounces and measures 3.6 X 2 X 1.1 inches with the included standard Lithium Ion battery. This battery offers up to 165 minutes of talk time and 75 hours of standby.
The i710 is available through all Nextel distribution channels, including retail stores, at a price of $99.99 after a $25 Motorola mail-in rebate, with a two-year service agreement, new activation and credit approval. Taxes, fees, early termination fee and other charges apply.
Nextel's unique Direct Connect(R) walkie-talkie service allows instant contact across thousands of miles. In less than one second, Nextel customers can communicate with more than 14 million Nextel, Nextel Partners, NII Holdings and Telus subscribers throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.
(1)Recording of phone calls is subject to varying state and federal laws regarding privacy and recording of phone conversations. Always obey the laws and regulations on the use of this feature.
(2)Network and subscription dependent feature. Not available in all areas.
About Nextel
Nextel Communications, a FORTUNE 200 company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousands of communities across the United States. Today 95 percent of FORTUNE 500(R) companies are Nextel customers. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc. currently serve 296 of the top 300 U.S. markets where approximately 252 million people live or work.
About Nextel Partners
Nextel Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTP), based in Kirkland, Wash., has exclusive rights to offer the same fully integrated, digital wireless communications services from Nextel Communications (Nextel) in mid-sized and rural markets in 31 states where approximately 53 million people reside. Nextel Partners and Nextel together offer the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country serving 295 of the top 300 U.S. markets. To learn more about Nextel Partners, visit www.nextelpartners.com
(C)2004 Nextel Communications. NEXTEL, the NEXTEL logo, NEXTEL. DONE., the NEXTEL. DONE. logo, PUSH TO TALK, PTT, DIRECT CONNECT, and INTERNATIONAL DIRECT CONNECT are service marks, trademarks, and/or registered trademarks owned by Nextel Communications, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered in the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Java and all other Java-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040708005...
FCC approves spectrum swap for Nextel
By Paul Taylor in New York
Published: July 8 2004 18:45 / Last Updated: July 8 2004 18:45
The US Federal Communications Commission approved a controversial plan on Thursday that would let Nextel, the sixth largest US mobile network operator, swap radio spectrum that interferes with public safety communications for highly sought-after spectrum in another band where most carriers operate.
The decision, foreshadowed by Michael Powell, the FCC chairman last month, marks a significant victory for Nextel and will help the wireless carrier to continue its recent rapid growth.
It is, however, likely to face a legal challenge from rivals, including Verizon Wireless, the largest US mobile operator, which have characterised the plan as a "spectrum grab". Verizon has argued that such a swap would be illegal and called on the FCC to auction the spectrum.
Under the FCC plan, Nextel will receive a 10 megahertz swathe of spectrum in the 1.9Ghz band in return for giving up spectrum in the 800Mhz band that it shares with public safety organisations including police and firefighters.
In addition, the FCC ruled that Nextel must provide an irrevocable letter of credit for $2.5bn to ensure public safety radio's problems are solved. Nextel will also have to pay the costs of adjusting public safety equipment to work properly.
The plan is similar to the so-called "consensus plan" proposals put forward by Nextel and is designed to end a two and a half year battle that pitted Nextel against the rest of the wireless industry. That plan was supported by most public service organisations and many influential politicians eager to avoid the communications problems that were highlighted by the September 2001 terrorist attacks.
Nextel had valued the cost of giving up spectrum, replacing and returning public safety equipment in 800MHz band and clearing incumbents from the 1.9 GHz band at $5.41bn. But opponents claimed the plan represented a spectrum giveaway by the FCC.
http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=108...
Delaware Court Rules That TI Breached Patent Portfolio Agreement With QUALCOMM
Delaware Court Rules That Texas Instruments Breached Patent Portfolio Agreement With QUALCOMM
Thursday July 1, 12:05 pm ET
SAN DIEGO, July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM - News), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced the outcome of the parties' summary judgment motions in the litigation between QUALCOMM and Texas Instruments in the Delaware Court of Chancery. On June 30, 2004 the court ruled that TI was in breach of the companies' Patent Portfolio Agreement and that the case will proceed to trial in order to determine the extent of TI's liability to QUALCOMM for damages incurred as a result of TI's breach. The court further ruled that, although TI may be found liable for damages incurred by QUALCOMM as a result of TI's breach, QUALCOMM will not be entitled to terminate the agreement. The court also granted QUALCOMM's motion for summary judgment on TI's claims, concluding that QUALCOMM has not breached the agreement as alleged by TI. In addition, the court denied TI's motions for summary judgment that TI's breach was excused and that TI's breach had not caused any damages to QUALCOMM.
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"We are gratified that at this stage of the proceedings the court has determined that TI breached the agreement and QUALCOMM did not," said Steve Altman, executive vice president, QUALCOMM. "We expect our licensees to comply with the terms of our agreements and are prepared to enforce our agreements whenever necessary to ensure their compliance. The court's ruling that TI's disclosure was a breach of our agreement is consistent with QUALCOMM's view of the importance of abiding by contractual obligations. Although the court ruled that we cannot terminate TI's license, we are pleased with all other aspects of the Chancellor's decision, including his finding that it was TI and not QUALCOMM that breached the agreement and that QUALCOMM's case against TI may proceed to trial."
QUALCOMM originally filed its complaint against Texas Instruments for breach of the companies' Patent Portfolio Agreement in the Delaware Superior Court in July 2003. When TI responded by filing a complaint against QUALCOMM for alleged breach of the same agreement in the Delaware Chancery Court, QUALCOMM voluntarily dismissed its Superior Court case and re-filed its complaint in the Chancery Court so that a single court could hear all the claims. The Chancery Court's ruling fully disposes of TI's complaint while keeping intact QUALCOMM's damages claims for trial, presently set for August 16, 2004.
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® company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market® under the ticker symbol QCOM.
QUALCOMM is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For further information, please contact Emily Gin, Corporate Public Relations, +1-858-651-4084, publicrelations@qualcomm.com, or Bill Davidson, Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4813, ir@qualcomm.com, both of QUALCOMM.
Source: QUALCOMM Incorporated
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040701/lath082_1.html
Microsoft wants level playing field in Korea: Ballmer
Microsoft Corp. chief executive Steve Ballmer said yesterday that the Korean government should devise a software policy that is neutral and open, and that does not favor a specific type of technology.
Currently, Korea, China and Japan are developing an operating system based on Linux, designed for personal computer users. Korea has faced criticism from U.S. technology giant Qualcomm for unilaterally setting a national standard for wireless Internet service.
Mr. Ballmer, speaking at a press conference with Minister of Information and Communication Chin Dae-je, said the purpose of his visit here also was to identify new trends and find out what the company could do to contribute to the Korean information market. "We hope that by establishing a close working relationship with Korean companies we can become partners in bringing the digital revolution earlier than anyone expects," he said.
Mr. Chin said that Microsoft was currently considering setting up a Korean research and development center.
Microsoft Korea and the Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity and Promotion agreed to cooperate to reduce the domestic information gap, with Microsoft planning to invest 10 billion won ($8.7 million) in the next three years in this area.
Regional information technology education centers will be established by the U.S. software giant at major colleges and social centers across the nation. It also plans to support the agency with software for any business project the agency is pursuing, and will support its dispatch of information technology advisers to developing nations.
Microsoft has spent 95 billion won on information technology-related projects in 50 countries, such as the information library it opened in Beijing last year.
Mr. Ballmer also met with Korean business leaders, including Choi Tae-won, president of SK Group, and Lee Yong-Kyung, chief executive of KT, to discuss how to improve cooperation on the wireless platform technology used in cell phones, an area that Microsoft sees as a strategic business.
Mr. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and became chief executive in January 2000.
by Chung Sun-gu <africanu@joongang.co.kr>
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200407/01/200407012252598239900090609061.html
Anyone has detail on below article ?
Valuation Rocket Readies for Takeoff
RealMoney (subscription), NY - 24 minutes ago
... acting terrifically. But all of the action is really in five stocks: Yahoo!, eBay, Broadcom, Qualcomm and Research In Motion. Last ...
https://secure2.thestreet.com/cap/login/RealMoneyDefault.jsp?PID=PRRM-01&OID=TSCP&cameFrom=%2Fp%2F&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thestreet.com%2Fp%2Frmoney%2Fjamesjcramer%2F10168788.html
UPDATE - Court narrows dispute in TI-Qualcomm patent spat
Thursday July 1, 8:51 am ET
NEW YORK, July 1 (Reuters) - Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE:TXN - News) said on Thursday a Delaware court had signaled that rival wireless chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. (NasdaqNM:QCOM - News) would not be entitled to cancel TI's rights to use Qualcomm's patented technology.
But the Delaware Chancery Court also ruled out Texas Instrument's contention that Qualcomm had violated a patent licensing agreement between the two wireless chipmakers by granting royalty discounts to certain mobile handset makers.
Texas Instruments of Dallas said that the court had sided with TI's contention that the disclosure of the terms of a technology patent license agreement with Qualcomm had not been a material breach of confidentiality.
The court will consider Qualcomm's claims for damages based on a nonmaterial breach of the companies' cross-licensing deal at a trial set to begin Aug. 16, TI said. Qualcomm had filed suit against TI on July 25, 2003. TI countersued in September last year alleging that Qualcomm had granted royalty discounts to handset makers using its wireless chips.
The court indicated that it intends to grant Qualcomm's motion that it did not breach the agreement on this issue.
The court is expected to issue a written opinion confirming these indications, TI said.
Shares of Qualcomm were up 23 cents at $73.21 in pre-open trading from their closing price on Wednesday of $72.98. TI stock rose 22 cents to $24.40, up from $24.18 on Wednesday.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/040701/telecoms_texasinstruments_qualcomm_1.html
LG Mobile Phones and Verizon Wireless Introduce the Next Advancement in Wireless Phones - the VX7000 Camera Phone
Thursday July 1, 8:04 am ET
Mobile Web 2.0(SM)-Enabled LG VX7000 Features Improved Graphics and Easier Navigation
BEDMINSTER, N.J. and SAN DIEGO, July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, operator of the nation's most reliable network, and LG Mobile Phones today announced the launch of the VX7000 camera phone. Available exclusively to Verizon Wireless customers, the VX7000 with its advanced features, such as a rotating lens, embedded flash and video messaging, helps capture all of life's moments as they happen.
The VX7000's embedded VGA camera features bright LED flash, so mobile shutterbugs never miss a photo opportunity. With capability to capture video and still photography, the VX7000 gives users more freedom to record memories than ever before, and the rotating lens, flip image option and zoom control give photographers the chance to compose the perfect picture. Additional features like night mode, brightness adjustment, white balance adjustment, color effect adjustment and digital zoom capability, give customers the greatest flexibility with their photographs.
"With the VX7000, LG is providing Verizon Wireless customers with the chance to express even more of their personality and creativity through their phone," said Jeff Hwang, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. "The VX7000 handset allows users to capture special moments to share with friends and family -- it is truly the essence of technology chronicling the sweet parts of life."
Verizon Wireless customers can also get the new Mobile Web 2.0 on their VX7000s for $4.99 monthly access, plus airtime. Mobile Web 2.0 allows customers to more easily access the latest news, tools and information from more than 30 content providers, read and send email and exchange instant messages (IM). Available from select phones including the LG VX7000, Verizon Wireless' Mobile Web 2.0 is packed with new features and enhancements, including new graphics, easier navigation, clickable headlines and premium content.
The VX7000 is also Get It Now®-enabled, offering customers even more options in an already full-featured device. With several shopping aisles, Get It Now provides access to downloadable applications including games, ringtones, productivity tools and more.
Bill Stone, vice president of marketing at Verizon Wireless, said, "When our customers see how easy it is to use many of our great services on the LG VX7000, they'll be hooked. Whether it's a tremendous camera phone and picture messaging, Mobile Web 2.0 or video messaging, the user experience is second to none. Best of all, these services come from the company respected for operating the nation's most reliable network."
Video messaging will be available throughout the country beginning July 1, 2004.
Signup for either Mobile Web 2.0 or any of the Get It Now applications is a snap -- Verizon Wireless customers can register for the Mobile Web 2.0 right from their wireless handsets by visiting the Get News & Info section on the Get It Now menu. Customers can also browse the Get It Now menu by category to select and download one or more applications that suit their style.
Download charges for Get It Now applications vary and airtime charges apply when browsing, downloading and using certain applications. Customers need a Get It Now-enabled handset and Verizon Wireless digital service to access the Get It Now virtual store.
Additional features of the Verizon Wireless VX7000 by LG include:
* Dual Mode: 1.9 GHz PCS, 800 MHz CDMA
* Dimensions: 3.69" (H) x 1.89" (W) x 0.98" (D)
* Weight: 3.88 oz
* LCD displays:
-- Internal: 176 x 220 pixel TFT; 262k colors, 11 lines of text
-- External: 96 x 96 pixel STN; 4096 colors, 4 lines of text
* Standard Battery: Lithium Ion, 1,100 mAh
* VGA Digital Camera w/Flash
-- Capture 15-second video clips or still pictures
* Night Mode, Brightness Adj., White Balance Adj., File Quality, Shutter
Sound Adj & Color Effect Adj
* CMOS 300K Pixel Camera
* Digital Zoom Capability
* Resolution Adjustment (Low -2, Medium, High)
-- 160 X 120 Low
-- 176 X 144 Low
-- 320 X 240 Medium
-- 640 X 480 High
* Self Timer (3, 5 or 10 seconds)
* Innovative Rotating Lens
* Mobile Web 2.0 Capable
* Store up to 4.0 MB of downloadable content (applications, games,
ringtones, and more)
* Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS): send and receive messages
comprised of a combination of text, sounds and photos
* Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS): send and receive text messages with
graphics and sound
* Two-Way Short Messaging Service (SMS)
* CMX MIDI for Polyphonic Ringer and Sound Capability
* Call History: (Outgoing- 30, Incoming-30, Missed-30)
* Blue Backlit Keypad & 5 Way Navigation Key
* 20 Unique Ringtones (Plus Vibrate & Private Alert)
* Speed Dialing (99 Entries)
* Voice Activated Dialing (30 Entries)
* Personal Organizer: Calendar with Scheduler, Voice Memo (up to
4 minutes), Notepad
* Tools: Alarm Clock, EZ Tip Calc, Calculator, and World Clock
* Address Book: 500 Contacts (each stores 5 numbers and 2 email
addresses and picture ID)
* English and Spanish User Interface
* TTY/TDD Capable
* E911 Emergency Location Capable
* Customizable Wallpapers, Theme and Font Colors
* T9 Text Input
Certain features may use more power and cause actual standby and talk times to vary.
The LG VX7000 is available for $179.99 after a $70 mail-in rebate with a two-year customer agreement at more than 1,200 Verizon Wireless Communications Stores nationwide, participating Circuit City and RadioShack locations, or on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com.
For more information on Verizon Wireless' products and services, visit www.verizonwireless.com. For more information on LG Mobile phones, visit www.lgusa.com.
About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics, Inc. (066570KS) was established in 1958 as the pioneer in the Korean consumer electronics market. The company is a major global force in electronics and information and communications products with more than 64,000 employees working in 76 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. With annual total revenues of more than US $16.9 billion (non-consolidated), LG Electronics comprises three main business companies: Digital Display & Media, Digital Appliance, Telecommunication Equipment & Handset.
The LG Telecommunication Equipment & Handset Company provides total solutions ranging from wired and wireless handsets to telecommunication equipment. The company is a leader in the innovation and development of cutting-edge technologies in next-generation wireless telecommunications and is steadily expanding its global market share in 3G (WCDMA / cdma2000) wireless systems.
LG Electronics' goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives better than ever. For more information, please visit www.lgusa.com.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 40 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ - News) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD; London). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.
About Mobile Web 2.0
Mobile Web 2.0 gives Verizon Wireless customers access to news, tools and information from the nation's top content providers. The simple, intuitive format makes it easy to access content from many categories, including News, Sports, Weather, Entertainment, Business, Email and More. Mobile Web 2.0 is self provisioning, eliminating the need for customers to call customer service or visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store to sign up for the service.
About HopeLine(SM)
Verizon Wireless encourages customers who are upgrading their wireless phone to the new VX7000 by LG to participate in its exclusive HopeLine phone recycling program. The national HopeLine program distributes previously owned wireless phones to victims of domestic violence, supports non-profit domestic violence advocacy groups and provides an environmentally safe method of recycling phones. Donations are accepted at all 1,200-plus Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For additional information, customers can also visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.
Get It Now is a registered trademark of Verizon Wireless.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: LG Mobile Phones
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040701/lath058_1.html
Delaware Court Indicates TI Did Not Materially Breach Cross-License Agreement, Qualcomm Not Entitled to Terminate TI's Rights
Thursday July 1, 7:40 am ET
TI Retains Rights to Qualcomm Patents
DALLAS, July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (NYSE: TXN - News) today said that the Delaware Court of Chancery has expressed its intent to grant TI's motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit between TI and Qualcomm Incorporated.
The court indicated it agreed with TI's argument that its disclosure of information regarding terms of a patent cross-license agreement was not a material breach, and that Qualcomm is not entitled to terminate TI's rights to Qualcomm's CDMA patents under the agreement.
"Qualcomm's efforts to strip us of our rights under this cross-license agreement have failed. This is a victory for TI," said Senior Vice President and General Counsel Joseph F. Hubach. "We are grateful for the expeditious manner in which the court has dealt with this case."
The court is expected to consider Qualcomm's claims for damages based on a non-material breach at a trial scheduled to begin August 16.
Qualcomm filed suit against TI July 25, 2003, alleging a material breach of the confidentiality of the agreement. TI filed suit September 23, 2003, alleging that Qualcomm violated the cross-license agreement by granting royalty discounts to handset makers that use Qualcomm's semiconductor products. The court indicated today that it intends to grant Qualcomm's motion that it did not breach the agreement on this issue.
The court is expected to issue a written opinion confirming these indications.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as TI or its management "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "forecasts," "estimates" or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements in this release that describe the company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.
We urge you to carefully consider the following important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations of the company or its management:
-- Market demand for semiconductors, particularly for analog chips and
digital signal processors in key markets, such as telecommunications
and computers;
-- TI's ability to maintain or improve profit margins, including its
ability to utilize its manufacturing facilities at sufficient levels
to cover its fixed operating costs, in an intensely competitive and
cyclical industry;
-- TI's ability to develop, manufacture and market innovative products in
a rapidly changing technological environment;
-- TI's ability to compete in products and prices in an intensely
competitive industry;
-- TI's ability to maintain and enforce a strong intellectual property
portfolio and obtain needed licenses from third parties;
-- Consolidation of TI's patent licensees and market conditions reducing
royalty payments to TI;
-- Timely completion and successful integration of announced acquisitions;
-- Economic, social and political conditions in the countries in which TI,
its customers or its suppliers operate, including security risks,
health conditions, possible disruptions in transportation networks and
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
-- Losses or curtailments of purchases from key customers or the timing of
customer inventory adjustments;
-- Availability of raw materials and critical manufacturing equipment;
-- TI's ability to recruit and retain skilled personnel;
-- Fluctuations in the market value of TI's investments and in interest
rates; and
-- Timely implementation of new manufacturing technologies, installation
of manufacturing equipment, and the ability to obtain needed third-
party foundry and assembly/test subcontract services.
For a more detailed discussion of these factors, see the text under the heading "Cautionary Statements Regarding Future Results of Operations" in Item 1 of the company's most recent Form 10-K. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date of publication, and the company undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and Analog technologies to meet our customers' real world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductor, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries.
Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .
Source: Texas Instruments Incorporated
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040701/nyth055_1.html
S&P's top ten stock picks(QCOM included)
By STEVEN HALPERN
June 30, 2004
Each week we look at the latest investment ideas from the nation's leading advisers. In its special mid-year report, Standard & Poor's The Outlook offers its favorite stocks for the next 12 months. Here are the top picks from analyst Sam Stovall:
Analog Devices (ADI NYSE)
"We project that this semiconductor maker's sales will grow 38 percent in fiscal 2004 and 30 percent in 2005. Its high-performance analog and digital signal processors convert sound and video into digital formats. The products are used in communications equipment, computers and consumer electronics. Our target is $70."
Avon Products (AVP NYSE)
"We forecast that 2004 sales will increase about 11 percent for this global marketer of beauty products. Revenues should be helped by solid volume gains in the core direct selling business, fueled by the growing ranks of sales reps and new products. Our 12-month target is $55."
ExxonMobil (XOM NYSE)
"ExxonMobil should be well positioned to benefit from improved energy demand as economies rebound and from strong U.S. gasoline markets. Also, its diversified businesses should provide a hedge against commodity price and geopolitical risks. We have a target of $52 and advise purchase for potentially superior total return."
Fiserv (FISV NASDAQ)
"This company provides technology systems and services primarily to financial firms. Our earnings forecasts are $1.96 a share for 2004 and $2.20 for 2005 vs. the $1.61 a share reported in 2003. The stock trades at notable discounts to its peers. Our 12-month target price is $45, and we advise purchase for potentially superior capital appreciation."
FMC Corp. (FMC NYSE)
"FMC is a producer of industrial and agricultural chemicals. We believe profits for industrial chemicals will rebound sharply in 2004 as demand continues to strengthen. The stock trades at p/e and cash flow multiples well below those accorded the shares of peers. Our 12-month target price is $54, based on relative p/e analysis."
Guitar Center (GTRC NASDAQ)
"With 130 locations, this is the leading U.S. retailer of musical instruments. We believe Guitar Center should benefit from growth in a fragmented industry, while the school band and orchestra market also holds opportunity for consolidation. The shares trade at 21 times our 2004 earnings estimate of $2.15 a share. Our 12-month target is $55."
Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG NYSE)
"We see a number of encouraging growth trends under way at this multi-line insurance and variable annuity company. Our 2004 earnings estimate is $6.30 per share, at the low end of the company's guidance. The shares trade at a slightly lower p/e than the peer group. Our target price is $74."
Landstar System (LSTR NASDAQ)
"This provider of trucking services uses independent drivers and brokers, who contract with other trucking companies. Given what we consider Landstar's superior operating model, strong growth prospects, low debt and high returns on assets and equity, we believe the shares are worth purchasing for potentially superior long-term capital appreciation. Our 12-month target is $56."
Qualcomm (QCOM NASDAQ)
"We view this wireless technology company as the best in its class, with one of the most attractive business models in the telecom industry. Qualcomm has unique intellectual property, known as CDMA for the mobile wireless industry. The strength of its patents has enabled the company to receive lucrative licensing fees. Our 12-month target is $80."
Zimmer Holdings (ZMH NYSE)
"Zimmer is the largest pure play in the global orthopedics industry. A recent acquisition gave the company a strategically important foothold in the spinal surgery market. We believe Zimmer can increase earnings per share about 23 percent annually over the next three years. Our 12-month target price is $107."
(Learn more about these and other advisers at www.TheMoneyShowDigest.com or contact editor Steven Halpern at DigestEditor(at)InterShow.com.)
http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/home/article/0,1874,ABIL_7941_3002064,00.html
TNZ ROLLING OUT EV-DO - 02 July 2004
Richard Chirgwin
CDMA 3G Getting Traction
Late last week, Lucent announced it had won a contract to upgrade Telecom New Zealand's mobile network with an EV-DO capable CDMA 1xRTT 3G system.
The company has hailed the agreement as giving further impetus to the EV-DO technology, which has already won business with Verizon and Sprint in America. Bart Vogel, Lucent's ANZ managing director, told CommsWorld the kiwi carrier is the company's fourth EV-DO customer, which puts TNZ "at the forefront of global high speed data deployment".
"What New Zealanders will have before Christmas is a network which provides connections as fast as any in the world - up to 2.4M bits/s", he said. "That's as much as 15 times faster than the current 1xRTT network, and up to six times faster than you can get with UMTS."
Vogel also sees the rollout as significant for customers, because with large-scale rollouts beginning, the handset decision should also become easier. EV-DO's backwards-compatibility is also important here, he said: EV-DO capable phones can step down to 1xRTT speeds if they roam into that network, and EV-DO base stations can support 1xRTT phones. Lucent contends that this capability gives the new technology an advantage for carriers seeking a phased rollout.
"The mobile phone makers will have an assurance of a global market for devices and applications," Vogel said.
TNZ is planning a range of services on the EV-DO network, including video messaging and downloads, videoconferencing, Internet and corporate network access.
The current Lucent FlexentR CDMA2000 base stations in TNZ's will support EV-DO with a software upgrade.
Lucent's role in TNZ's mobile network is analogous to Alcatel's in the wired network: it provides project management, network planning and design, installation, integration, testing, and optimisation.
http://www1.commsworld.com.au/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=commsworld/home&var_el=art&ar...
Can TD-SCDMA make a big splash?
The commercialization of China's standard for third-generation (3G) wireless communications, TD-SCDMA, seems to be gaining momentum.
However, analysts still doubt whether TD-SCDMA will be able to make a big splash in the future 3G market, which will be worth hundreds of billions of US dollars.
A complete product line-up of TD-SCDMA -- ranging from core chips, base stations and handsets to intelligent antennas -- will be ready for commercial use by next June, Zhang Qi, a senior official with the Ministry of Information Industry (MII), announced last week.
That will not delay the deployment of operators' 3G networks, she added.
Industry observers widely believe China will not permit operators to build out their 3G networks unless TD-SCDMA is ready to deploy.
TD-SCDMA competes with Europe-initiated WCDMA, or UMTS, and US-backed CDMA 2000.
Zhang said the commercialization of TD-SCDMA is gaining momentum, as more industry players are joining the TD-SCDMA camp.
Nortel Networks last week signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Putian Corp to form a joint venture to research, develop and manufacture products based on TD-SCDMA and WCDMA.
Germany-based Siemens and China's Huawei Technologies have formed a joint venture to develop and market TD-SCDMA.
Nortel also has launched a laboratory with China's Datang to test TD-SCDMA.
Datang and Siemens are TD-SCDMA's major developers.
Media last week reported minor operator China Satcom planned to invest 80 billion yuan (US$9.64 billion) to deploy TD-SCDMA networks.
Yet, TD-SCDMA is unlikely to see a major turnaround, analysts said.
"The timetable for the commercialization of TD-SCDMA has been revised several times, which has let down the industry," said a Beijing-based analyst, who asked not to be named.
"It still lacks industry-wide support, especially from the top players."
Li Shihe, chief technology officer of Datang Mobile Communications Equipment, has said TD-SCDMA will be ready for deployment this year.
Now, however, that seems unlikely.
"The overall landscape is clear: WCDMA and CDMA 2000 will dominate the 3G market," said Edward Yu, president of Analysys Consulting.
"The most likely scenario for TD-SCDMA is it may serve as an add-on technology to some operators' WCDMA networks, or as a stand-alone technology for minor operators to deploy networks."
A report by Norson Telecom Consulting suggested it is very unlikely TD-SCDMA will be used as a stand-alone technology to deploy 3G networks.
The TD-SCDMA industry alliance is quite loose, and China's top telecoms gear vendors, Huawei and ZTE, have not paid enough attention to TD-SCDMA, the report said.
Major foreign vendors are still adopting a wait-and-see attitude towards the relatively young Chinese standard, due to their lack of confidence in its prospects.
On the sidelines of a recent telecoms show in Singapore, for example, Ericsson's chief executive officer, Carl-Henric Svanberg, would not say if his firm would support TD-SCDMA.
"We believe TD-SCDMA is much further behind in its development than publicly claimed by its proponents, and that many of its Western-based backers are only supporting the technology to gain favour with the Chinese Government," said Michael W. Thelander, founder of US-based Signals Research Group.
"We also believe TD-SCDMA is part of an overall ploy by the Chinese Government to receive more favourable IPR (intellectual property rights) terms from western companies, in particular Qualcomm."
Qualcomm is the major developer of CDMA 2000. It also claims IPRs over WCDMA and TD-SCDMA.
China Mobile and China Unicom are widely expected to adopt WCDMA and CDMA 2000, respectively, due to the natural "immigration path" of their current technologies.
Thelander predicted China Telecom and China Netcom will select WCDMA, at least WCDMA is their current preference, after they receive their 3G licences.
Rumours are swirling that China Telecom plans to install 400 WCDMA base stations in Beijing by year's end.
"TD-SCDMA may ultimately be deployed by an operator in China, but it will be due to necessity, not choice, and its performance will likely pale in comparison with its claimed performance," Thelander said.
A lot of problems may arise even if TD-SCDMA is put into commercial use, as it is an unproven technology.
In the initial stage of WCDMA's development, the European technology has encountered numerous problems, such as poor interoperability and short handset battery life.
If China Mobile decides to adopt TD-SCDMA to complement its UMTS networks, "it will take a number of years before it successfully interconnects TD-SCDMA to its UMTS/GPRS/GSM network, if it ever does," the analyst said.
MII is conducting technical trials based on the three 3G standards.
But all of the trials and all of the current solutions are stand-alone TD-SCDMA solutions that lack an essential feature -- multi-mode, Thelander noted.
Zhang said at least five TD-SCDMA handsets will be launched "within five or six months." They will be able to run on both the TD-SCDMA and GSM/GPRS networks.
Source: China Business Weekly
http://english1.peopledaily.com.cn/200407/01/eng20040701_148178.html
JeffreyHF, many thanks for the good post. You said it well! This is all FUD. Now what we need to see if NOK starts to buy EV-DO Chips from Qualcomm in the near future. If this happens, we may see another 10 point jump in Qualcomm share price.
Unefon Launches First Nationwide Push-to-Talk Service in Mexico -- Powered by dynamicsoft
dynamicsoft Service Engine Platform Accelerates Deployment of Real-Time Voice Services
PARSIPPANY, NJ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 06/30/2004 -- dynamicsoft, a premier telecommunications infrastructure provider, leading the delivery of push-to-talk and other real-time voice, messaging, video and presence services, today announced that Unefon, a leading Mexican mobile telephone operator, has deployed the first nationwide push-to-talk service in Mexico, leveraging the capabilities of the dynamicsoft Service Engine platform to support real-time IP-based communications services.
Unefon's new offering is a walkie-talkie style service called RadioUnefon(SM), which gives customers a quick, convenient way to communicate one-on-one or in groups with the simple push of a button. Ideal for short "get in, get out" conversations, RadioUnefon is an efficient and cost-effective way to quickly access co-workers, clients, family and friends anywhere on Unefon's CDMA network. With 1.8 million customers in 16 of Mexico's key metropolitan cities, Unefon launched this new nationwide service in June.
"We are committed to offering our customers a broad array of the most feature-rich services available today. We recognize our subscribers' communications needs are rapidly changing and we see an increased demand for services that provide instant communication," said Adrian Steckel, chief executive officer of Unefon. "dynamicsoft has a proven track record, having built the infrastructure necessary for the highly successful Sprint PCS Ready Link(SM) deployment. Within three months of placing the order, we are already offering our customers a cost-effective, carrier-class, push-to-talk solution. This will be the first of many new service offerings that Unefon adopts in order to enhance the user experience."
"We recognize that operators want to offer a wealth of new services while leveraging their existing network infrastructure," said Patrick Farley, chief executive officer at dynamicsoft. "The dynamicsoft Service Engine platform not only provides a proven push-to-talk solution that dramatically accelerates time-to-market, but also supports the next wave of compelling new features such as presence-enabled push-to-talk, push-to-video and push-to-voicemail, driving both subscriber growth and revenue per user."
"Trends indicate that the demand for richer ways to communicate will grow dramatically," said Wally Swain, principal analyst of Yankee Group's Wireless/Mobile Latin America Group. "Presence-enhanced push-to-talk and push-to-portal are just two service enhancements to push-to-talk I expect to see in the coming year."
The dynamicsoft Service Engine™ product is a standards-based software platform that enables a broad set of value-added IP-based services to be delivered and managed across wireless and wireline networks. The Service Engine platform consolidates common functions such as customer data distribution, authentication, authorization, provisioning and service interaction, making it possible to quickly create a wide variety of services with maximum re-use of assets at minimal expense. The dynamicsoft Service Engine platform is a core component of the Sprint PCS Ready Link service and is fully integrated with available Push-to-Talk application servers and handsets.
About Unefon
Unefon (BMV: UNEFON), is a Mexican mobile telephony operator focused on the mass market, with the capacity to deliver a wide variety of telecommunication services. Unefon has long term contracts with TV Azteca (NYSE: TZA), (BMV: TVAZTCA) for advertising and with Grupo Elektra (NYSE: EKT), (BMV: ELEKTRA), Latin America's largest specialty retailer and an affiliated company, for distribution. Unefon can be reached at www.unefon.com.mx.
About dynamicsoft
dynamicsoft is a premier telecommunications software infrastructure provider, leading the delivery of push-to-talk and other real-time voice, messaging, video and presence services. Through its acknowledged industry leadership in SIP and SIMPLE, dynamicsoft's cost-effective platforms are at the core of numerous next-generation operator deployments. dynamicsoft can be reached at www.dynamicsoft.com.
dynamicsoft is a registered trademark of dynamicsoft Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contacts:
dynamicsoft
Debbie Disbrow
+1 973.952.5020
ddisbrow@dynamicsoft.com
Unefon
Alan Infante Xibille
+ 52 55 8582 5134
ainfante@unefon.com.mx
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=69354
UMTS Mobilizing the Data World
3G Americas Cites Progress of UMTS as the 3G World Standard
Bellevue, WA, June 29, 2004 -
UMTS, the leading global standard for 3G, is being rapidly deployed around the world with customer growth at a rate faster than that experienced by GSM, the most successful global wireless technology with more than one billion plus customers, at the same point in its development. 3G Americas today announced the publication of a new white paper, The Evolution of UMTS -- 3GPP Release 5 and Beyond, collaboratively developed by its board member companies to provide a current progress report on the fast growing commercialization of UMTS.
"Nearly six million customers are using UMTS 3G services today and that number is expected to more than double by the end of the year." stated Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas. "We have seen the commercial launch of 57 networks in 21 countries to date with an additional 93 operators in 37 countries now pre-commercial, planning, trialing, or awarded UMTS licenses for their evolution to 3G. Also, with 32 more potential licenses, UMTS is clearly leading the way as the global 3G wireless standard for voice and data."
The Evolution of UMTS -- 3GPP Release 5 and Beyond provides information on the performance and spectral/network efficiency advantages offered through Release 5 (Rel'5), coupled with new service creation opportunities made possible through the IMS architecture. Both are key factors accelerating the interest and momentum towards the realization of Rel'5 of UMTS. In March 2003, 3G Americas provided a white paper on UMTS R'99, and the newly published paper builds upon that report with an overview of key 3GPP Rel'5 specifications and its features including HSDPA, IMS, and IP UTRAN, which will deliver significant data capacity, performance, and feature functionality benefits. HSDPA will provide significant downlink data capacity and throughput improvements; IMS will provide a flexible architecture enabling new and more advanced multimedia applications; and IP UTRAN will realize network efficiencies and reduce costs.
Vicki Livingston, 3G Americas' Director of Marketing, commented "Release 5 takes UMTS a step further with enhancements that will benefit both customers and operators with higher data rates at lower cost." She continued, "One example is the cost advantage of 3G over 2G with the cost per megabyte falling from several dollars to less than ten cents per megabyte. This lower cost means compelling services can be delivered at reasonable prices, helping 3G to reach critical mass."
UMTS continues to establish its global 3G wireless leadership position and several operators have already announced plans for UMTS Rel'5 deployments or trials including the early 2005 launch by NTT DoCoMo on its FOMA system. In the U.S. market, AT&T Wireless announced plans to commercially launch UMTS in four markets by the end of 2004. Cingular has announced UMTS trials in Atlanta this summer with potential UMTS commercial deployments in 2005.
The Evolution of UMTS -- 3GPP Release 5 and Beyond is available for free download at:
www.3gamericas.org. The paper includes a complete status list of UMTS networks based on information from the EMC World Cellular Database, the UMTS Forum, and 3G Americas.
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 is expected to account for up to 85% of next-generation customers worldwide. 3G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, WA with an office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Dallas, TX. 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, Gemplus, HP, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Openwave Systems, Research In Motion, Rogers Wireless (Canada), Siemens, T-Mobile USA, Telcel (Mexico), and Texas Instruments.
http://www.3gamericas.org/English/news_room/DisplayPressRelease.cfm?id=708&s=ENG
Huawei, Algeria Telecom Team
06.29.04
SHENZHEN, China -- An all-round strategic partnership between Algeria Telecom (AT) and Huawei, the largest telecom equipment supplier of China, was recently observed by the agreement signed by Chettih, Board Chairman and President of AT, and Sun Yafang, Board Chairwoman of Huawei. Both AT and Huawei expressed their hopes for further cooperation in such fields as CDMA, GSM, switching, access network, transmission and data services, as well as technical exchange, training and business development.
As the largest integrated telecom operator in the country, AT operates fixed network, mobile network (GSM), transmission network and data network, employing over 20 thousand staff and with an expected income of US$900 million in 2004. Huawei began marketing in Algeria in 1999. Through years of perseverance in Algeria, Huawei has impressed Algeria with an excellent image of an international telecom equipment supplier from China. Till now, Algeria has become one of the largest African markets of Huawei, which is one of the most important suppliers of Algeria Telecom. With large-scale commercial applications of CDMA, GSM, switches, access network, transmission and data communications products, the cooperation between Algeria Telecom and Huawei further deepens.
In 2003, the per-capita GDP of Algeria exceeded $2,000, while its penetration of fixed and mobile network only reached 6%. According to the planning of Algerian Post and Telecommunications Ministry, the fixed network penetration will double by the end of 2005, reaching a two million volume, which brings a good opportunity for in-depth cooperation between Algeria Telecom and Huawei. The population of Algeria is distributed so unevenly that 80% of the population resides in the mountainous northern regions along the coastline of Mediterranean, where the fixed network access is not economical. To provide fixed network services in a cost-effective way, the Algeria Telecom adopts the combination of CDMA2000 WLL and traditional wired access as the major solution.
Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.
http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=55315
African Flagship 3G Network For Tunisia
29th June , 2004
Europe : Tunisia is to install the most advanced mobile telecommunications network in Africa. Two of its key cities – Tunis and Sousse – are to receive WCDMA equipment from ZTE in a contract that will see 3G technology in commercial applications in the second half of 2005. The contract, with Tunisia’s PTT CERT, demonstrates that ZTE has become one of a few vendors anywhere in the world totally equipped to help operators build their 3G networks. It also marks ZTE’s first 3G network win outside of China.
Tunis is to be the host of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2005. It is expected that by this time over 20,000 delegates from 190 countries will use ZTE’s WCDMA equipment to enjoy 3G services such as streaming media, video telephony, high-speed internet access, MMS, VOD, JAVA and WAP.
Sousse is Tunisia’s most famous tourist resort, attracting millions of European visitors every year with its sunshine and seashore. With the new 3G network, visitors from Europe will also be able to use world-class 3G services.
For the project, ZTE will not only provide its 3GPP R4-based end-to-end WCDMA network, but also its most advanced wireless R&D – WCDMA+ Wi-Fi. This development has shown that ZTE has the capability to provide WCDMA solutions that can integrate different kinds of networks.
Helping operators to construct a revenue-generating network is the primary objective of ZTE’s customer service programme. In this project, ZTE fully considered the future development of the whole network by using the existing network to achieve wider coverage in Sousse, Monastir, and Mahdia, without adding any infrastructure cost to the operator.
At the signing ceremony, Ye Weiming, VP, ZTE Corporation, said “ZTE has the confidence to help Tunis construct a stable WCDMA network and provide good-quality 3G services to the WSIS 2005. In the future, ZTE will continue to help Tunis establish its leading position in the African telecom industry.”
Earlier this year ZTE was the sole provider of ADSL and Wi-Fi to a preview meeting in Tunisia for the WSIS 2005. Habib Ammar, Chairman, WSIS, said, “ZTE has offered high-quality ADSL and Wi-fi services. We have enough reason to believe that ZTE WCDMA is able to provide reliable 3G services to the WSIS 2005.“
“We have a full understanding of ZTE, which helps us to establish our confidence in their capability in the research and applications of new technologies. In addition, we appreciate very much the job done by ZTE’s outstanding team in Tunis,” said a spokesperson for PTT CERT, Tunisia.
In the past few years, ZTE has established a leading position in North Africa’s telecom markets. In 2003, ZTE was selected to build Africa’s largest CDMA WLL project in Algeria. ZTE’s GSM products have won large-scale applications in Nigeria and Ethiopia. Earlier in 2004, ZTE was selected by Egypt Telecom to construct a large-scale CDMA network covering the Nile River Delta.
The WCDMA contract with Tunis has laid a base for ZTE’s further entry into 3G markets in North Africa as well as Europe.
http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/June2004/7979.htm