Fujitsu,NEC and Docomo are to set up a Yen 100m jv calledAccess Network Technology,to develop baseband ICs for 4G.
The rationale is that,with Qualcomm becoming ever more dominant,and ST-E sinking like a stone,it is vital that Qualcomm doesn't establish a monopoly.
"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
Fujitsu will have 63.3%of the jv,NEC will have 17.8%,and Docomo will have 19.9%.
The jv will have 85 employees.
An earlier consortium to do the same thing,which additionally included Matsushita and Samsung,fell apart.