Qualcomm Opens Asia-Pacific Test Center of Excellence in Singapore

(Top News, 31 Oct 2008)

Qualcomm Inc. opened its Asia Pacific Test Center of Excellence in Singapore, the company's first test development center outside of the United States, making Singapore its development hub for the region. By having test centers in two opposite time zones—San Diego and Singapore—Qualcomm creates an around-the-clock engineering support system that will significantly shorten the evaluation cycles for its new digital and radio frequency wireless technologies, thereby hastening their time to market.

Qualcomm's Asia Pacific Test Center will carry out design verification and failure analysis for Qualcomm's new products and technologies designed in its design centers in India, China, Taiwan, Korea and San Diego. The Center will also engage in independent development of new technologies and products, in addition to pre-production sampling of early product introductions.

"The opening of the test center expands Qualcomm's existing operations in Singapore. The region will serve as a development hub for Qualcomm's innovative technologies that will enable new categories of converged mobile devices," says Jim Clifford, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. "We are confident that the Center will play a significant role in our development of next-generation products."

"We are pleased that Qualcomm, the world's largest fabless semiconductor company, has chosen Singapore as its first overseas test development location. Its presence creates strong synergies with Singapore's vibrant semiconductor ecosystem to develop new technologies, capabilities and products," says Manohar Khiatani, Assistant Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board.

Qualcomm's regional suppliers stand to benefit from the shortened evaluation cycles and business opportunities generated by new products in the pipeline. Qualcomm's major suppliers in the region include Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing, Inscope Labs Pte Ltd, SEMICAPS Pte Ltd, StatsChipPac Ltd, Tessolve and Verigy.

"Chartered is very pleased that Qualcomm has chosen to open its Asia Pacific Test Center of Excellence in Singapore," says Chia Song Hwee, President and CEO of Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing. "As a key supplier to Qualcomm based in Singapore, we see tremendous benefit and synergy in having the Test Center here, including shorter evaluation cycles, quicker time to market and closer engineering collaboration. We look forward to furthering our relationship with Qualcomm."

Singapore was chosen as an ideal setting for the new Test Center due to its world-class infrastructure for business, strategic location as the crossroads of Asia, and excellent work force. The new Test Center will be managed by C.S. Chang, who serves as director of engineering and offshore development for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies and is an industry veteran with more than 20 years of technology industry experience.

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