MediaTek, Mstar Push Into TD-SCDMA Market

Taipei, Oct. 21, 2010 (CENS)--While Mstar Semiconductor Inc. has scheduled to launch its first Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) chip by the end of this year, MediaTek Inc. has debuted the prototype of its TD-SCDMA solution at an information-communication technology fair held last week in Beijing.

According to statistics recently released by China Mobile Ltd., mainland China's No.1 cellular service provider, number of the mainland's TD-SCDMA subscribers has grown at exponential rate into the second half of this year, especially in the latest two months in which a net one million additional subscribers were signed up each month.

Until the end of July this year, the mainland had a cumulative 118.3 million TD-SCDMA subscribers, according to China Mobile. The subscriber number is estimated to surge to 20 million by the end of this year.

In light of such rapid growth, providers of wireless solutions are competing to roll out TD-SCDMA solutions. Among them are Leadcore Technology Co., Ltd., a firmware developer held by telecom-equipment supplier Datang Telecom Technology Co. of the mainland in addition to MediaTek, Mstar and Qualcomm Inc.

Leadcore has recently introduced a less expensive TD-SCDMA solution, which is quoted at only US$9. Yulong Computer Telecomm Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., a leading supplier of smartphones in China, has reportedly adopted the solution.

MediaTek is developing several solutions including the one called TD Protocol Stack. Industry executives believes the company will make some available by the end of this year.

Spreadtrum Telecommunications Inc., China's homegrown chip designer, is now the major supplier of TD-SCDMA chips at home.