Siemens Information and Communication Mobile said Monday that it will base its future UMTS third-generation (3G) devices on technology developed by Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, like an increasing number of handset vendors, has said it plans to license its underlying technology as well as to develop mobile devices carrying its own brand. Siemens said it will use Motorola’s i.300 Innovative Convergence 3G platform for devices starting in 2004 and will use other Motorola technology for devices between now and then.
Under terms of the deal, Motorola will provide both the software basis for the phones as well as processors from its DragonBall MX microprocessors.
In a statement, the companies said the first Siemens-branded devices based on Motorola’s i.300 will be available in early 2004. UMTS is considered the next-generation of wireless technology after 2.5G, which is just now gathering momentum among wireless operators worldwide.
In the meantime, the deal calls for Motorola’s Personal Communications Sector (PCS), which develops handsets, to provide terminals to Siemens starting the end of this year. Siemens said that, by the end of 2002, it will bring to market devices based on Motorola’s A820 technology. That platform is the one on which the i.300 platform is based.
Motorola announced the i.300 platform in February.
David Haskin is managing editor of allNetDevices.com.