Top handset maker Nokia will broaden its research and development in China to better tap local demands and aims to design and develop 40 percent of its lower-end phones in Beijing, the firm said on Friday.
The move is part of Nokia's drive to grow in the CDMA, or code division multiple access, technology market in the booming region that offers huge potential to the global cellphone industry due to low mobile penetration rates.
Nokia said in a statement it will establish a unit to promote its handset software in China, and expand its Beijing R&D unit from June with a new facility focusing on CDMA. Nokia also said it would broaden its co-operation with universities, including starting a postdoctoral programme that will focus on high-speed third-generation (3G) and radio technologies.
Nokia said the moves would take its R&D staff to some 600 in China, versus some 20,000 research staff employed globally.

Copyright Reuters, 2004

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