LG to bring EDGE capabilities to mobile handsets

LG Electronics, Analog Devices Inc. and TTPCom Ltd are developing a range of handsets based on ADI's and TTPCom's EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. With data rates up to three times those available on GPRS networks, LG's EDGE-capable handsets are expected to deploy data-intensive 3G type services including video downloads and high-speed Internet access.

The first EDGE handset to be launched, a 'slider phone' called the LG A7100, is powered by ADI's Blackfin SoftFone for EDGE chipset and TTPCom's EDGE protocol software and application suite.

"Analog Devices' Blackfin SoftFone chipset and TTPCom's platform is the best in the industry and their technical support team are both flexible and responsive. The maturity of their solution is demonstrated by the fact that it has taken only 6 months to progress from licensing ADI's chipset and TTPCom's EDGE software to being ready to take our first EDGE [-based] phones to mass production," said Skott (S.K) Ahn, Ph.D, EVP of UMTS Handsets Division of LG. "We believe in establishing longstanding relationships with our suppliers and working with Analog Devices and TTPCom, we are strengthening our position at the forefront of the wireless communications business," he added.