SAN DIEGO
--- December 9, 1996 ---QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:
QCOM) today announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent
(LOI) with Asahi Kasei Microsystems (AKM) Co., Ltd. to
provide a triple-mode chipset for the Code Division Multiple
Access (CDMA) market in Japan.
The chipset incorporates QUALCOMM-developed
CDMA digital baseband technology and AKM-developed J-TACS
and N-TACS analog baseband technology. The new chipset
will provide a complete solution for triple-mode handsets
and specialized terminals for digital cellular, Personal
Communications Services (PCS) and wireless local loop
applications.
The chipset consists of two chips,
one digital and one analog. QUALCOMM will supply the
Mobile Station Modem (MSM), which provides all of the
CDMA vocoder and control functions, and AKM will provide
the Analog Baseband Processor (ABP), which implements
all J/N-TACS, voice codec and baseband processing functions.
"As the second largest cellular market
in the world, Japan is of strategic importance for QUALCOMM."
said Johan Lodenius, director of marketing for QUALCOMM's
ASIC Products group. "The combination of our CDMA design
knowledge and AKM's expertise in the Japanese market
for analog gives us a competitive advantage in this
highly competitive region."
QUALCOMM is developing a series of
semiconductor products based on its CDMA technology.
These products will enable the faster design of highly
integrated, low-power devices for subscriber and network
equipment. CDMA technology offers increased capacity,
higher voice quality, longer battery life and enhanced
security.
"Our mission is to create a family
of high-performance semiconductor products for CDMA
applications worldwide, combining our core strengths
in CDMA technology and system level chip design with
advanced applications support capabilities to get optimized
solutions to market rapidly," said Donald Schrock, vice
president and general manager of QUALCOMM's ASIC Products
group.
"We feel that there is significant
opportunity for CDMA to establish itself as a leading
technology in Japan, and are very excited about working
with QUALCOMM to address the need for a highly effective
chipset," said Kyoji Kurata, managing director of marketing
for AKM. "AKM's low-power mixed signal expertise and
QUALCOMM's CDMA technology are a winning combination.
We are confident that the market will benefit from the
commitment of both our companies to support it."
Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co., Ltd. (AKM), a wholly-owned semiconductor unit of Asahi Chemical
Industry Co., Ltd., entered the LSI business in June
1983. AKM's product line includes full custom LSIs and
ASSPs for mobile communications, digital transmission,
and digital audio applications and are based on AKM's
unique CMOS mixed analog/digital technology.
Headquartered in San Diego, QUALCOMM develops, manufactures, markets, licenses and operates
advanced communications systems and products based on
its proprietary digital wireless technologies. The Company's
primary products areas are the OmniTRACSR system (a geostationary satellite-based, mobile communications
system providing two-way data and position reporting
services), CDMA wireless communications systems and
products and, in conjunction with others, the development
of the GlobalstarTM low-earth-orbit (LEO)
satellite communications system. Other Company products
include the Eudora ProTM electronic mail
software, ASIC products, and communications equipment
and systems for government and commercial customers
worldwide. For more information on QUALCOMM products
and technologies, please visit the Company's web site
at http://www.qualcomm.com/
Except for the historical information
contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking
statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties,
including timely product development and commercial
implementation of the Company's CDMA technology, continued
growth in the CDMA subscriber population and the scale
up and operations of CDMA systems, timing and receipt
of license fees and royalties, the Company's ability
to successfully manufacture significant quantities of
CDMA or other equipment on a timely and profitable basis
and those related to performance guarantees, change
in economic conditions of the various markets the Company
serves, as well as the other risks detailed from time
to time in the Company's SEC reports, including the
report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 28,
1997 and most recent Form 10-Qs.
QUALCOMM, OmniTRACS and Eudora are registered trademarks and Eudora
Pro is a trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Globalstar is a trademark of Global star, LP.
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