Accton Debuts World's First Wi-Fi Skype Phone in Japan

Taipei, Nov. 15, 2005 (CENS)--Taiwan's Accton Technology Corp. recently demonstrated the world's first Skype-certified Wi-Fi cordless handset in Japan. The company plans to cooperate with local Compal Communication Inc. to jointly develop dual-network cell phone products, which is scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2006.

Prior to the Wi-Fi Skype phone demonstration, Accton and Skype jointly announced that the two parties are teaming to develop a range of Skype-enabled devices to be offered to Accton's global OEM customers.

Accton was the only Taiwan strategic partner at the "Skype Day in Japan" series publicity activities. The firm spent some eight months negotiating with Skype, which required Accton to provide more diversified hardware interfaces. Accton said that it has accepted Skype's requirement as it owns abundant experiences in designing and manufacturing network products.

Accton said that its Wi-Fi Skype phone would be mass produced and delivered in the first quarter of 2006 and the shipment volume would be expanded after the Taiwan company cooperates with an increasing number of wireless Internet service provider (WISP) companies. According to Accton's conservative estimate, the first-year shipment volume will be about 100,000 units.

Accton claimed that its IC-design subsidiary Acute Communications Corp. has been devoted to developing Skype chips and is scheduled to mass produce such chips in the first quarter of 2006, which are expected to help Accton cut the overall Skype-phone cost by 20%.

In addition, Accton also plans to push a series of Skype-enable devices such as personal voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) gateways, video phones etc.

Accton's CEO A.J. Huang said that Skype-related products are fresh items with higher profit margins and that all of the about 50 million registered users are potential buyers. Such business would be a secret weapon for Accton's future revenue growth, the CEO said.

Accton is a global premier provider of networking and communications solutions for top tier networking, computer, and telecommunications vendors.