Qualcomm Inc, the world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, reaffirmed Wednesday its support of all three third generation (3G) mobile telecommunications standards to tap the market demand in China.

"Our 3G strategy is very simple. We support all the technologies with our integrated solutions," said Sanjay Jha, executive vice-president of Qualcomm Inc, yesterday in Beijing.

Qualcomm dominates CDMA 2000, one of the three world recognized 3G standards. The other two standards are the European-based WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) and Chinese TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access).

The Chinese Government is expected to release its 3G licences next year.

Currently, CDMA 2000 and WCDMA are well established and growing, registering a total of more than 128 million subscribers so far, operated by 108 operators in 46 countries and regions worldwide.

"We are monitoring the development of TD-SCDMA," Jha said, adding the market development of TD-SCDMA is a bit behind CDMA 2000 and WCDMA.

"But we will keep close watching the development of TD-SCDMA and then roll out corresponding strategies," he told China Daily in an interview.

He believes there are three fundamental changes for wireless communication to evolve.

First, wireless telecommunication is migrating from voice to data, which contributes to increasing market segmentation.

Second, new uses for communications featuring integration such as multi-media and data-centric drive broad market demand and increase sales.

Thirdly, new phone capabilities such as increased processor speeds and enhancement of display technology require development of core technologies.

"For Qualcomm, we mainly divide our products into four platforms ranging from low-end to high-end," he said.

For example, the company will provide low-end customers with low-cost entry devices which concentrate on voice-centric service and limited multi-media support, he said.

According to Yankee Group, the deployment of 3G networks around the world, which leads to the migration from voice to data, will drive up the number of data users to more than 1 billion in 2007.

"Meanwhile due to increasing mobile phone processor power as well as the increasing population of camera phones, there will be an increasing need for content," Jha said.

(China Daily October 28, 2004)