|
|
| > Option Home > News > Press releases
2002 |
 |
|
| >> |
OPTION TO SUPPLY FULLY CUSTOMISED
GPRS PC CARDS TO China’s PANDA ELECTRONICS GROUP
Co.,Ltd.
|
| |
FOR RELEASE: JULY
12, 2002
 |
NANJING, CHINA & LEUVEN, BELGIUM - Option, the
leading innovator in wireless communications, today
unveiled that they have signed an agreement to supply
a fully customized version of their Option’s
GlobeTrotter tri-band GPRS/GSM PC Card to the leading
Chinese electronics group Panda.
|
GlobeTrotter will be marketed in
mainland China and will appear under the Panda brand name.
The first of a series of shipments is already taking place
and all shipments are secured with credit-protection mechanisms.
Panda Electronics Group Co., Ltd. is one of the six largest
groups of electronics industries in China with a sixty-four
year long history. The group has initiated many “firsts
in China” and has won several national honors.
Panda has been active in the electronics and mobile industry
with great success resulting in joint ventures with international
companies, such as Sweden's ERICSSON, Japan's SHARP and
Korea's LG.
Just recently Option’s GPRS/GSM PC Card was launched
into the market, providing high-performance wireless services
for notebook computers and PDA’s while allowing
real time connections.
As stated by Panda:” With the launch of China’s
GPRS services, nearly everyone believes that GPRS PCMCIA
Cards have great sales potential in China. After being
released on Panda’s website, phone calls started
to come in from all over the country with customers wanting
to find out more about the product and wanting to purchase
it.”
Lu Rong Chang, Senior Executive within the Panda group,
said: “We are confident we have found a reliable,
technologically-advanced and Chino-sensitive business
partner in Option”. “The GlobeTrotter card
is faster than any other we have been able to test and
its availability in several languages including Chinese
is a critical factor to guarantee its rapid take-up in
the market. We want to establish a long-term relationship
with Option and that is why we invested a lot of efforts
in customizing the product to our requirements”.
China’s dominant mobile carrier China Mobile, which
controls more than 70 per cent of China’s 165 million
mobile phone subscribers, has commercially launched its
GPRS service in a bid to tap the country’s booming
mobile data market. As of May 17, 2002 China Mobile began
offering commercial GPRS service in 240 cities across
the country. The commercial launch came after a trial
covering 25 major cities with 2900 trial users. During
the trial, users were offered a range of GPRS-based services
such as mobile email, mobile commerce and interactive
mobile games.
The July 11, 2002 edition of the Wall Street Journal mentions
that “China Mobile reports surge in demand for its
GPRS service, with more than 1.3 million users for its
high-speed GPRS service just weeks after its commercial
launch”.
An initiative like Monternet, abbreviation for Mobile
Internet, has quickly become a recognized brand name for
China Mobile’s services and is an example of how
wireless mobile data services are actively promoted in
China these days.
Perhaps a more important reason for the use of GPRS is
the promotion of China Mobile’s “MengNet”
(“Dream Net”) service. MengNet became very
popular in Guangzhou, the capital of the Guangdong province.
Part of the reason was its business model that allows
application developers to join forces in service development.
MengNet offers more than 1350 services in categories like
information, communications, business, e-commerce and
personal assistance. To a certain extent, GPRS provides
the bandwidth where services like MengNet can run in the
pipes.
Jan Callewaert, President & CEO at Option said: ”Needless
to say the outlooks for wireless data services are bullish
in this country. This agreement with a very important
domestic player is a big step towards conquering this
market. The selection of Panda among several other interesting
candidates as privileged Partner is the result of several
considerations such as market positioning, brand presence
and creditworthiness”.
About Option – “Wireless
Technology” – Nasdaq Europe: OPIN
Option is the leading innovator in wireless communications.
The company designs, develops and manufactures a family
of products for wireless solutions. Option has built up
an enviable reputation for creating exciting new products
that enhance the performance and functionality of wireless
communications. Option’s headquarters are in Leuven,
Belgium. The company has R&D centers in Leuven, Cambridge
(UK) and Adelsried (Germany) and a production engineering
facility in Cork, Ireland.
For more information about Option, please visit www.option.com
About Panda
As the cradle of China's electronics industry, Panda Electronics
Group Co., Ltd.(PEG)was founded in 1936, with a history
of sixty-four years. Brand 'Panda' is the first Chinese
electronics products brand entered into international
market and also the first 'Well-Known Brand' of electronics
industry in China. PEG is one of the largest electronics
comprehensive backbone enterprises, 120 pilot enterprise
groups, 512 key enterprises, six largest groups of electronics
industries in China.
For more information about Panda, please visit www.chinapanda.com.cn
Laurent De Hauwere
Option n.v.
+32 (0)16 317 411 (office)
+32 (486) 20 20 20 (mobile)
ldh@option.com
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
