TCS, Qualcomm to cooperate on wireless technology

IT major Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and CDMA applications provider Qualcomm have initiated discussions to jointly work on wireless communications technology and platforms. The companies would look at developing software that would improve wireless communication efficiencies and reduce the cost of mobile telephony operations.

According to the sources close to the development, the companies have already begun discussions for collaborating on the wireless front. Qualcomm CEO Paul E Jacobs, during his visit to the country last week, had met TCS CEO S Ramadorai and discussed about the joint collaboration. A TCS spokesperson said the company was not in a position to comment as it was in the silent period pending before the first quarter results. Qualcomm Executive Vice-President and President (global development) Jeffrey A Jacobs also declined to comment on the development.

The companies will mainly look at developing technologies that will help in improving wireless penetration by using lower amount of spectrum. The CDMA technology is hailed for its lower usage of spectrum, compared with the GSM, the other mobile technology used in the country.

The companies are also believed to work on the wireless reach initiative that is designed to increase the availability of public service applications across the world. Qualcomm is the licensor of the CDMA technology and had shipped around 24 million handsets to the country in 2006. On the other hand, IT major TCS has a full-fledged telecom practise that is being mainly conducted out of Chennai.

The new project will be in addition to the Qualcomm's Wireless Reach Brew Application Funding Programme that was earlier awarded to the Tata Company. In March this year, TCS was awarded a grant of $100,000 in support of its Brew application that was designed to educate and advise farmers through mobile devices. The application will capitalise on the growth of mobile phone usage in the country to help farmers increase their crop yield. Qualcomm's Wireless Reach Brew Application funding programme is a $1-million fund established to support the development and use of wireless applications. The funding programme is for companies to create innovative public applications in healthcare, education, public safety, governance and the environment.