Qualcomm Inc (QCOM)

[Mindy]

Qualcomm Phone Chip Shortfall Hits Koreans

http://www.reed-electronics.com/electronicnews/article/CA403370?spacedesc=news

By David Manners -- Electronics Weekly, 3/12/2004


Korean mobile handset makers are complaining about a lack of baseband chips from fabless semiconductor company Qualcomm, according to the Korea Times.

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According to the report, Qualcomm can supply only 70 percent to 80 percent of orders for its CDMA chips.

Samsung fell short of its mobile handset production targets in January and February because of the chip shortage. For smaller manufacturers, with less buying power, the situation is worse, says the report.

Last year Aldo Romano, head of the STMicroelectronics division that sells a CDMA baseband chip in conjunction with Texas Instruments, pointed out that, because Qualcomm does not have its own manufacturing facilities, it could fall into supply problems when the foundries are full, as they are now.

Both ST and TI have their own manufacturing facilities