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WirelessDevNet.com Press Release
QUALCOMM and Tata Teleservices Announce Plans to Offer Wireless Applications
NEW DELHI, India, March 18 -- QUALCOMM Incorporated
(Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access
(CDMA) digital wireless technology, and Tata Teleservices, India's leading
telecom service, today announced that the two companies have signed a non-
binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) to use QUALCOMM's BREWChat solution
to offer push-to-chat services. The two companies have also entered into a
binding agreement to launch wireless applications and services based on
QUALCOMM's BREW solution.
Tata Teleservices plans to use QUALCOMM's BREWChat solution to introduce
push-to-chat, next-generation telecom service, in India. This popular service
offers a walkie talkie on a mobile phone and is planned for launch by Tata
Teleservices in mid-2004. Tata Teleservices intends to be one of the first
CDMA operators outside the United States to launch push-to-chat service. The
MOU provides a framework for Tata Teleservices to roll out BREWChat-based
services for up to seven million users. The BREWChat service is initially
planned to be introduced across Tata Teleservices' existing eight circles of
operations, and to be extended across 20 circles after the company rolls out
its service nationally.
The BREW agreement expands the availability of BREW-based services in
India and will enable Tata Teleservices' customers to download games, ring
tones, communication, e-mail and business focused applications as well as
location-based services over the air, virtually anytime, anywhere. The BREW
system also gives Tata Teleservices the ability to differentiate its services
with multimedia messaging services (MMS), Web browsers and customized user
interfaces (UI).
Built on QChat(TM) technology, the BREWChat solution enables person-to-
person and person-to-group communication between subscribers at the push of a
button. The BREWChat solution carries the same features of its root QChat
technology, but was specifically designed for CDMA2000 1X Release 0 networks.
The BREWChat solution offers Tata Teleservices superior call set-up
performance, bandwidth savings and is designed to seamlessly upgrade to and
interoperate with the QChat service, which operates on CDMA2000 1X Release A
networks and provides even faster performance capabilities.
"We are excited to work with QUALCOMM to deliver personalized access to
the latest wireless technologies and services," said Amit Bose, president of
Telecom, Tata Teleservices. "The BREW solution gives us a flexible, turnkey
system that integrates seamlessly into our existing CDMA2000 1X network. We
envisage that push-to-chat, which is a huge success in the United States, will
receive an overwhelming response here in India, given the profile of our
subscribers."
"We are proud to welcome Tata Teleservices as the newest member of our
worldwide operator community and thrilled with their plans to launch the
BREWChat solution," said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, president of QUALCOMM Wireless &
Internet Group. "The decision to offer subscribers an unmatched wireless
experience with BREW-enabled services demonstrates Tata Teleservices'
continued leadership and commitment to customers. The agreement with Tata
Teleservices expands the deployment of BREW-based applications in India,
benefiting India's growing community of software developers and wireless
consumers."
Tata Teleservices plans to offer BREW-based services to their wireless
users in the six Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka and Maharashtra. This service is also planned for 11 additional
states in the next few months.
QUALCOMM's BREW system provides products and services that connect the
mobile marketplace value chain, which includes application developers,
publishers, content providers, device manufacturers, operators and consumers.
Publishers and developers worldwide are generating revenue from BREW-based
applications and content, and 24 manufacturers have offered more than 120
BREW-enabled device models to consumers. Many very successful operators have
deployed commercial BREW-based wireless data services, including Verizon
Wireless, ALLTEL, Cellular One, MetroPCS, Midwest Wireless and U.S. Cellular
in the United States, China Unicom, KDDI in Japan, KTF in South Korea, Hutch
in Thailand, Telstra in Australia, VIVO in Brazil, BellSouth Chile, BellSouth
Colombia, BellSouth Ecuador, BellSouth Panama, BellSouth Peru, Movicom in
Argentina, Telcel in Venezuela, Verizon Dominican Republic, Verizon Wireless
Puerto Rico and Pelephone in Israel.
The BREWChat solution enables quick push-to-chat functionality on 3G CDMA
wireless devices and networks. The BREWChat client software is written as an
application for QUALCOMM's BREW solution and offers dynamic, over-the-air
upgrades of handset software, management of group membership by subscribers
and ad-hoc creation of chat groups.
Tata Teleservices is India's leading private telecom service provider.
The company offers integrated telecom solutions to its customers under the
Tata Indicom brand, and uses the latest CDMA2000 1X technology for its
wireless network. Currently operating in six states; Delhi, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat; the company has a customer
base of about 1.6 million, of which 1.22 million are CDMA wireless users.
With a planned nationwide footprint across the country, Tata Teleservices has
acquired licenses to operate in 11 more states, which include Bihar, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Kolkata, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
(East), Uttar Pradesh (West) and West Bengal.
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(R)
company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market(R) under the ticker symbol QCOM.
Except for the historical information contained herein, this news release
contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and
uncertainties, including the extent and speed to which the BREW solution is
deployed and adopted, the risk that no definitive agreement is entered into
between QUALCOMM and Tata Teleservices with respect to the implementation of
the BREWChat solution to offer push-to-chat services, 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, 2003, and most recent
Form 10-Q.
QUALCOMM is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. BREW and
QChat are trademarks of QUALCOMM Incorporated. CDMA2000 is a registered
trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA USA). All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For further information, please contact Michele Bakic, QUALCOMM Internet
Services, +1-858-651-4017, mbakic@qualcomm.com; or Emily Gin, Corporate Public
Relations, +1-858-651-4084, publicrelations@qualcomm.com, or Bill Davidson,
Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4813, ir@qualcomm.com, all of QUALCOMM.
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