Qualcomm, AsiaTelco forge 3G CDMA license deal

Qualcomm Inc. and AsiaTelco Technologies Holding Co. Ltd, a Shanghai-based firm, have entered into a subscriber unit and modem card license agreement.

Under the terms of the royalty bearing agreement, Qualcomm has granted AsiaTelco a worldwide patent license to develop, manufacture and sell subscriber units and modem cards implementing the CDMA2000, W-CDMA and TD-SCDMA standards. The royalties payable by AsiaTelco are at Qualcomm's standard worldwide rates and are the same irrespective of the CDMA standard implemented by the subscriber unit or modem card.

"Qualcomm is committed to helping advance the convergence of mobile communications and consumer electronics," said Marvin Blecker, president of Qualcomm Technology Licensing. "AsiaTelco's license will enable the company to expand its existing offerings to include all 3G CDMA standards and to join market leaders in driving down handset prices and increasing wireless capabilities."

"We are pleased to sign this 3G CDMA license agreement with Qualcomm," said Jason Ding, CEO and president of AsiaTelco. "The growth of 3G subscribers around the world and the increasing number of operators launching 3G networks demonstrate the strength of the technology. AsiaTelco looks forward to expanding in this market and enabling new ways for people to stay connected."