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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dave who wrote (15532)	9/25/1998 7:54:00 PM
From: Quincy	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 152472

You're apple and Beta corrolaries flounder here. Sony didn't have any basis to mount an IPR battle with JVC over VHS. Apple corollaries fail on many levels. They have defended IPR against Microsoft with varying levels of success. Apple refused to license their OS to other hardware manufacturers until it was too late. Qualcomm has licensed their IPR to more than 60 companies to date. Microsoft was able to eventually bypass Apple's software patents and take their market share away from them. Microsoft found the way. Companies around the world have been trying for a decade to do the same thing to Qualcomm. Have they succeeded? Apparently, ETSI is the only one issuing a statement I can believe. We know about the CDMA patent search word counts. But, as a self-proclaimed Patent dude, do you understand the drawbacks of specifiying CDMA as the only air-interface a patent applies to? You claimed "W-CDMA allows companies which system TDMA/GSM equipment to upgrade their existing equipment to W-CDMA. Next, with many manufacturers of W-CDMA equipment drives the prices down of that infrastructure. That is simple supply and demand." Upgrading GSM to WCDMA involves replacing the spectrum license, base station transceiver, antennas, base station controllers, along with coverage changes forcing an increase in base station density. While coverage is being expanded, TDMA compatibility has to be added to WCDMA handsets to roam on existing GSM systems. Cadillacs and Jaguar's have supply and demand but are still very expensive. Is there a corollary here? Will GSM providers struggling in the US be in a position to invest in the upgrade? Or, am I asking the working-class providers to buy me a Jaguar so my European stock doesn't collapse? According to the CDMA2000 spec on the CDG website, IS95B will continue to be used for voice traffic. Before CDMA2000 and CDMAOne/HDR are deployed, IS95B offers 110Kbps data with little more than a new handset and base station software upgrade. Qualcomm has the ASIC for 55Kbps and it is an economical replacement for their older MSM chips. Bringing current digital standards to the masses required consumers to replace handsets plus better price plans (in many cases, free roaming and no service contracts.) Big reasons to switch from AMPS included call security, eliminating fraud, lower costs, and improvements in call reliability. How is WCDMA expected to churn existing customers if current digital standards (and their handsets) meet our needs? What if WCDMA is not as reliable as GSM/TDMA or CDMAOne? What if the 110kbps feature of IS95B is useable for 90% of wireless consumers and involves zero hardware changes on existing infastructure? Expecting us to jump onto the 3G bandwagon for wireless multimedia? Whatever you do, don't discount the latest PCS survey found that fewer than 10% of wireless users have an interest in HDR service. Knowing all this, your enthusiasm for WCDMA appears to be horribly misplaced.

To: Dave who wrote (15532)	9/25/1998 7:59:00 PM
From: Ramus	Respond to of 152472

Dave, Jeez, I had this way cool response to you and then I read the words of Quincy and Mqurice and...ah....well.. I'll just keep quiet!! They took care of it all. Thanks guys!! W.

To: Dave who wrote (15532)	9/25/1998 8:01:00 PM
From: Maurice Winn	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 152472

Dave, You said: "Face it, there are 3-4 wireless carriers in the US using IS-95, namely Bell Atlantic, GTE Wireless, Sprint and Airtouch and all of South Korea uses IS-95. That is it." What do you mean that is it? Are you suggesting those are the only cdmaOne providers in the world? Don't forget Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, inter alia and others. You also said: "The Q is negotiating for their survival and they cannot fight a war on all fronts.....". Well, that's not totally true either. They have survived the hard times. The rest should be easy. And they can fight a war on all fronts. Especially with the USA helping out! You also made the usual simplistic comparison with Apple and Betamax. Don't let a slogan do your thinking for you. In what way were Apple arrogant? Foolish, yes. But arrogant? You seem to be trotting out the language of the SETI crowd who call Qualcomm arrogant for wishing to maximize their value from their intellectual property. Once a technology is being successful, one can make a very good case for NOT letting others sell it too. Microsoft for example is doing very well by holding their technology VERY tightly. Qualcomm is reaching such a critical mass that they might do best by not licensing anyone else. Just go ahead and produce cdma2000, pdQ, high speed data in mobile and WLL. Press the USA to force Europe open in accordance with free trade agreements. Mqurice