Chinese mobile sector matches Europe, says TTPCom
electronicsweekly.co.uk
Richard Wilson
China's mobile phone sector is developing into a sophisticated market to match Europe, according to Richard Fry, sales and marketing director at TTPCom.
"Many people don't fully realise how sophisticated the Chinese mobile market is," said Fry. "The deployment of GSM/GPRS services is as advanced as it is in Europe."
The Royston-based wireless technology company anticipates significant growth in the use of GSM/GPRS-based data services in China and to support this it has acquired a South Korea-based GSM/ GPRS handset design firm called Mobisys Telecom Co for £1.9m.
The companies have been working together for some years, and already have five local customers for the UK firm's GSM/GPRS mobile phone platform. According to Fry, Chinese manufacturers look for more product design support than companies in Europe.
"They are more attuned to use us as a design-house and full system integrator," said Fry. "It was not practical to provide that level of design support from here [Europe]," he said.
Based in Seoul, Mobisys was established by MinCheol Schin in March 2000 and is already highly familiar with TTPCom's software. It employs 24 staff.
"It will enable us to achieve a step-change in our systems business capability, and also increase the resources available to us in the region to support the substantial and growing opportunities that we see in Asia," said Tony Milbourn, managing director of TTP Communications.
The Asian markets account for over 50 per cent of TTPCom's business. |
