China Mobile, Chipmaker VIA to Form Alliance for TD-LTE Chips
October 22, 2010
During the 2010 Cross-Strait 4G Technology Development and Cooperation Summit, Chinese telecom operator China Mobile is said to enter into a strategic MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Taiwanese chipmaker VIA Technologies through Genie, an IC design subsidiary of VIA, with an aim to tap rising demand for TD-LTE chips in China, the Sina Tech News reported on October 18. Under the MoU, both parties agreed to collaborate in the development of TD-LTE (Time Division - Long Term Evolution) chips, consolidating their downstream and upstream businesses. Aside from China Mobile and VIA, other attendees to the summit included Taiwanese MediaTek, HTC, Quanta, Gemtek, ZyXEL, Accton, D-Link, MTI, and WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) operators FarEastone, Datong, Vmax Telecom, according to the same source. It is learnt that besides VIA, the CEO of MediaTek and Quanta were separately in talks with China Mobile's CEO Wang Jainzhou as well regarding the possibilities of partnerships in the areas of chips, mobile phones, and TD-LTE terminal products. MediaTek has already entered into China Mobile's TD-SCDMA (TD-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) chip supply chain, with shipment volume reaching approximately three to four million units per quarter.