Revisionist Assertions
Jeffrey,
<< Contrary to Eric's revisionist assertion, it [the TI/STMicro CDMA JV] was not intended to only involve the EV-DV market ... >>
I don't recall making such an assertion. Perhaps you can point it out to me.
That said, however, I'll make the following statements of fact -- and you can call them assertions if you will.
Nokia and the TI/STMicro CDMA JV focused 100% of their IC development efforts on the 3GPP2 cdma2000 path and none whatsoever on the IS-856 (1xEV-DO) path.
It was a strategic gamble, and Nokia lost.
The full membership of 3GPP2 spent over two years developing the Release C and Release D cdma2000 1xEV-DV standards, after maturing and publishing cdma2000 Releases A and B.
What became IS-856 (1xEV-DO) Revision A (now Release A) was developed in the 3GPP2 background in the 'Data Only Ad Hoc' by a subset of the full membership -- QUALCOMM's traditional key development partners -- while cdma2000 Revision D development was in progress
The TI/STMicro JV sampled a cdma2000 R'A 1xRTT chipset (modem processor by TI with Nokia's protocol stack, and STMicro power management and optional components) and reference design but never found a commercial buyer. They (Nokia and TI) developed a cdma2000 R'C 1xEV-DV chipset, demonstrated it, and readied it for trialing while the cdma2000 R'D 1xEV-DV standard was being matured in 3GPP ...
nokia.com
When 3GPP2 pulled the plug on cdma2000 development effectively stranding it at Release 0 (IS-2000 R'0) from a commercial perspective. TI and STMicro immediately dissolved their JV. TI then refocused its San Diego based CDMA development unit evolved from its June 2000 Dot Wireless acquisition that had been headed by former Linkabiter and Qualcommer Rick Kornfeld who subsequently returned to Nextwave as Chief Strategy Officer.
TI's then CEO publicly stated that they would support any efforts Nokia made if they chose to develop a 1xEV-DO protocol stack. Nokia commenced that effort, then scrubbed it. In November 2005 at Capital Markets Day they announced that in the future they would primarily (not exclusively) utilize ODMs to manufacture future CDMA product. The proposed Sanyo JV was announced in February 2006, and proposed merger plans were formally dissolved in June 2006 ...
nokia.com
If you find anything "revisionist" in the above statements of fact, feel free to point them out, and it would be extremely helpful if you would supply fact to back up your assertions. There is abundant fact on the 3GPP2 FTP server should you care to peruse it.
<< When they announced that they would leave the CDMA handset market ... >>
They announced and have subsequently amplified on the subject. that they would cease their own manufacture of CDMA handsets completely ramping down their own manufacture by April 2007, which thery have, and would shift to an ODM to OEM model for CDMA handsets, and that they intend "to selectively participate in key CDMA markets, with special focus on North America."
With all they have on their plate with the extremely challenging infrastructure side of their business, The reshuffle of executive management, the creation of the new Services & Software unit under Nick Savander, and the merger of 3 mobile device units into one, they may decide to "leave the CDMA handset market" altogether, but to date they have made no such announcement, your "revisionist assertion" to the contrary.
Cheers,
- Eric - |
