Nokia looks back at 25 million CDMA handsets and sets course for the future
March 11, 2003
Nokia's CDMA investment pays off with successful product line, chipset development
and EV-DV technology
IRVING, Texas - Later this month, Nokia will mark another milestone by producing
its 25 millionth CDMA handset, a figure that few other handset producers can match.
In the 12 years since becoming one of the first manufacturers to begin research
and development efforts in CDMA technology, Nokia has marketed over 20 models of
CDMA handsets, developed three different generations of CDMA chipsets and has shipped
phones to 25 different countries. Today, Nokia is shaping the direction of the CDMA
market by pioneering development in next-generation CDMA2000 1xEV-DV technology.
Nokia's CDMA efforts began with a handful of researchers in 1991, a time when most
of the world's wireless phones were still based on analog standards. These efforts
quickly began to produce results, and in 1997 Nokia introduced its first CDMA products,
the Nokia 2170 and Nokia 2180 phones, both of which were based on Nokia's own IS-95
CDMA chipset. Today, Nokia has over 1000 people concentrating specifically on CDMA,
many of them housed in Nokia's 330,000 square-foot state-of-the-art product creation
center in San Diego.
Nokia's current CDMA product line now includes 12 models, each of which is based
on a Nokia-designed chipset. This current lineup follows Nokia's successful product
category strategy, with individual models designed specifically for a well-defined
consumer segment. The new Nokia 2275 phone falls in the Basic category, and is designed
for first-time, budget-conscious and pre-paid users as well as for customers in
emerging wireless markets, while phones like the Nokia 8270 and Nokia 8280 are part
of Nokia's Fashion category, and are targeted towards an upscale, image-conscious
user who desires a compact handset. Other models in Nokia's CDMA stable are designed
for the markets in-between, including phones for younger, more flamboyant wireless
users and models for business users needing a work-focused, feature-rich handset.
Demonstrating Nokia's 12 years of expertise in CDMA, field trials of Nokia-designed
CDMA2000 1xEV-DV mobile phone chipsets will begin during the second half of 2003.
The CDMA2000 1xEV-DV specification, developed by leading CDMA companies including
Nokia, represents the logical next step for incumbent CDMA operators upgrading their
existing CDMA2000 1X networks. Allowing the flexibility to dynamically balance voice
and data traffic by allocating bandwidth on demand, CDMA2000 1xEV-DV allows for
the performance of two high-value tasks simultaneously on a single RF section device.
Following successful completion of these field trials, Nokia plans to market new
terminals based on Nokia-designed CDMA2000 1xEV-DV chipsets.
"Few companies can match the experience in CDMA research and development that Nokia
has gained over the past 12 years. The combination of this experience with Nokia's
understanding of the market, leadership in mobile design, and wireless engineering
prowess has positioned Nokia for continued success in the CDMA market," said Soren
Petersen, senior vice president and general manager of Nokia's CDMA business unit.
"Our extensive work in CDMA engineering makes Nokia the only handset manufacturer
to design its own CDMA chipsets and its own CDMA phones. This allows us unmatched
flexibility in design and production to create products tailored to meet the cost
and feature-set needs of a wide range of customers."
About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation,
user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier
of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks.
By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies
and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company
with listings on six major exchanges.