UTStarcom extends Indian arm with R&D facility

US-based UTStarcom is foraying into the Indian market by setting up an R&D center, the second in Asia after China. The company is a provider of wireless, wireline and broadband access equipment currently enabling migration to IP based networks. It designs, manufactures, installs and sells an integrated suite of access network and switching solutions. In the Indian R&D center the focus would be on IP-based softswitches and wireless network interfaces initially. 

Market wise, India would be its major hub for the South Asian operations. In India the focus would be on IP-based softswitch m-switch, wireless access system Personal Access Systems (PAS) and its multiple access platform AN-2000 for both narrow and broadband capability. PAS offers several advantages to basic operators like basic and supplementary voice and advanced data including 128 kbps data, SMS, e-mail, location-based and I-mode services. PAS deployment has to the extent of 10 million in China alone covering 500 cities and 21 provinces by end 2001. AN-2000 provides narrowband (POTS, ISDN, leased lines) and broadband (ADSL, HDSL/SHDSL) services. 

The company is in talks with companies like MTNL, BSNL and Hughes Tele.com and each with multiple access platforms. "We are on a wireless trial with MTNL and others for the deployment of switches. India represents a significant growth for the company but early to quantify," said Hong Lu, CEO,
UTStarcom. 

"With MTNL, there are about 5,000 lines under PAS trial. It would be aggressive market as India has a very low tele-density and our products are designed to address Indian market requirements," he added. The company is already in manufacturing partnership with HFCL. "Taiwan has been a very successful chapter us because 92 percent of the population are cellular subscribers. We are also working with Japan on a $ 100 million project," added Hong Lu.

Half a million of the soft switches are 3G and w-CDMA based. China and Taiwan currently occupy 90% of their market. More than 300 companies have deployed their solutions worldwide. The projected target for R&D for 2001 is at $ 80 million with 66 percent of their facilities being in China today. It also has its presence in markets in South America, Philippines and Thailand.