NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC rekindle love and LTE partnership, Samsung and Panasonic left in the rain
The fractious on-again, off-again love affair between NTT DoCoMo, Fujitsu and NEC has taken another turn. After dissolving a partnership to build a common LTE platform that included Samsung and Panasonic, the trio have rekindled their love over a candlelit dinner. The gang are stumping up the cash to bankroll Access Network Technology, a venture to build, wait for it, LTE platforms for smartphones and tablets, with each party bringing its own R&D and IP knowhow to the table. There's no word on how jilted lovers Samsung and Panasonic feel about the team-up, but we wouldn't be surprised if they didn't shed a private tear and think about the good old days.
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Fujitsu, NTT DOCOMO, NEC, and Fujitsu Semiconductor Agree on Communications Platform Device Joint Venture
Tokyo and Yokohama, Japan, August 1, 2012 - Fujitsu Limited, NTT DOCOMO, INC., NEC Corporation, and Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited today announced their agreement to form a joint venture to focus on the development and sales of semiconductor products with built-in modem functions for use in communications equipment.
The joint venture-Access Network Technology Limited, established by Fujitsu-is scheduled to begin operations in August, upon the capital contributions of DOCOMO, NEC, and Fujitsu Semiconductor.
1. Objectives
Until now, handset manufacturers including Fujitsu and NEC, together with DOCOMO, conducted communications platform development work collaboratively.
The rapid expansion of the smartphone market and the increase in data traffic volumes have been making communications platforms increasingly important. The technologies individually held by the companies, as well as the results of their joint development work, offer a huge competitive advantage in the smartphone market, which is expected to experience an even greater global expansion.
Against this backdrop, in the form of a new corporate structure, the joint venture, while enhancing management responsiveness, will bring together technologies from each of the companies to develop industry-leading communications platform products, and will provide customers with highly competitive products to meet their needs.
2. Ownership Share by Each Company
Fujitsu: 52.8%
DOCOMO: 19.9%
NEC: 17.8%
Fujitsu Semiconductor: 9.5%
3. Overview of the Joint Venture
Name: Access Network Technology Limited
Business Description: Design and development of communications platforms
Capital: 100 million yen
Representative: Minoru Sakata, President
Number of Employees: Approximately 85
