BEIJING -- January 8, 2002 -- Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today congratulates China United Telecommunications Corporation (China Unicom), China's second-largest state-owned telecommunications company, on the launch of its cdmaOne™ system. China Unicom commenced CDMA services at a formal ceremony held here on January 8, 2002.
"We congratulate Unicom on a smooth and successful start of commercial operations nationwide, with the extensive deployment accomplished in a very short time," said Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm. "This launch represents a major advance in Chinese telecommunications and positions China Unicom at the forefront of wireless communications. China Unicom's customers will immediately benefit from the many advantages of CDMA, including improved voice quality, dependable network access and call completion through increased network capacity and advanced data services. Looking forward, customers will enjoy an early and smooth migration to next-generation products and services."
China Unicom is the second leading telecommunications carrier in the market with approximately 30 million subscribers. China's population totals approximately 1.3 billion with an average of 24.4 wireline and wireless phones per 100 people. China Unicom will be providing CDMA services to more than 350 cities, penetrating up to 75 percent of China's total population.
In July of 2001, Qualcomm opened a CDMA Development Center to provide training, support and equipment testing services to manufacturers and mobile carriers in China, and to support research and development of third-generation CDMA wireless standards. To date, Qualcomm has signed royalty-bearing CDMA license agreements with several Chinese manufacturers and continues to work closely with manufacturers to position them for entry into CDMA manufacturing.
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. The Company's business areas include CDMA chipsets and system software; technology licensing; the Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless™ (BREW™) applications platform; Eudora® e-mail software; digital cinema systems; and satellite-based systems including portions of the Globalstar™ system and wireless fleet management systems, OmniTRACS® and OmniExpress®. Qualcomm owns patents that are essential to all of the CDMA wireless telecommunications standards that have been adopted or proposed for adoption by standards-setting bodies worldwide. Qualcomm has licensed its essential CDMA patent portfolio to more than 100 telecommunications equipment manufacturers worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Qualcomm is included in theS&P500 Index and is a 2001 FORTUNE 500® company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market® 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 Company's ability to successfully design and have manufactured significant quantities of CDMA components on a timely and profitable basis, the extent and speed to which CDMA is deployed, 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 30, 2001, and most recent Form 10-Q.
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