Chino-American deal boosts TD-SCDMA

May 17, 2005 - source: BWCS

Chinese telecoms equipment giant ZTE is to work with US wireless vendor Andrew Corporation to produce new mobile infrastructure kit using the home-grown Chinese 3G standard, TD-SCDMA. Once again this has raised speculation that the domestic manufacturing giant knows more than it is letting on about the possible inclusion of TD-SCDMA in China's 3G future.

ZTE would not comment on growing speculation that the Chinese own-brand next generation mobile phone standard would be included in the 3G licences expected to be handed out later this year. However, it did say that its decision demonstrates the success of the standard for delivering diversified multimedia services including streaming media and data download.

The equipment now being manufactured covers core networks and service servers as well as terminals and network-planning systems. ZTE is also involved in working towards interoperability between different vendors' TD-SCDMA equipment at its Shanghai research and development facility. The company is also participating in industrialization and pre-commercial network tests.

Andrew Corporation says that it has increased its base station manufacturing capability in China by 40% in recent months. It has also, reportedly, increased its engineering design capability at its Suzhou facility.