In a move geared towards enhancing cooperation on high-speed, third-generation, or 3G, mobile technology between Nokia Corporation and STMicroelectronics NV, Nokia has announced today that it will transfer chipset technology and workers to STMicro. Nokia, the world"s largest mobile phone maker, said the decision was in line with a new strategy that also means further collaboration with three other chipset suppliers: Texas Instruments Inc., Broadcom Corp. and Infineon Technologies AG.
"Nokia will continue to develop its leading-edge modem technology ... (which) will then be licensed to chipset manufacturers who will develop and produce chipsets for Nokia," said a spokesperson for the Finnish company. "These manufacturers will also be able to produce and sell to the open market chipsets based on Nokia"s modem technology."
Nokia, based in Espoo near the Finnish capital, sells products in 130 countries and employs 110,000 people. In the second quarter, it sold 100 million mobile devices, claiming a 38 percent share of the global market. STMicroelectronics, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a leading global developer of semiconductor and microelectronics technology and makes chips for both Apple and Nintendo. The transfer of some 200 personnel to STMicro - in Finland and Britain - is slated to take place during the last quarter of this year.