Chinese RF chip startup eyes handset boom

摘要

Shanghai, China ― A small, Shanghai-based startup working on RF chips is looking to capture 50 percent of China's fast-growing PHS handset market, which today stands at roughly 23 million users and is growing by about 2 million users a month. Led by a core group of overseas Chinese, Comlent Technology Inc. is looking to displace the Japanese to become the top supplier to China's homegrown handset makers, such as market leader UT Starcom. The company joins a small but growing number of startups in the Asia-Pacific region that are tackling complex RF design. Comlent is a tangible result of the Chinese government's policy to lure Chinese expatriates back home by offering them corporate and personal incentives. The aim is to build a base of experts who can train local engineers and help seed the nation's nascent IC design industry.