Siemens AG has strengthened its hold in the Latin American market with an investment of $110 million in research and development in Brazil for mobile phones.
This step makes five such R&D centers for the company around the world, including centers in Germany, Denmark, China and the United States.
“The Latin American market is very promising for Siemens mobile, and we see Brazil as a driving force,” said Joe Kaeser, board member of the Siemens Information and Communications Mobile Group. “The GSM technology has outpaced the rivaling CDMA efforts, and we hold a clear No. 1 position in this market with our mobile phones and infrastructure business.”
Siemens has also made a loud noise about its commitment to the Chinese market, not only in pushing third-generation technologies, but also the country’s homegrown protocol known as TD-SCDMA. Earlier this month, the company invested $30 million in W-CDMA production in Shanghai.
The German vendor said its R&D center in Brazil will be based in Manaus, which will receive a major part of the $110 million investment.
The announcement is not the beginning of Siemens’ mobile push in the region or country. The country had started with 50 people in late 2002, but it has 140 professionals developing mobile phones and mobile network software in the country.
“With a locally manufactured portfolio that has been adapted for the Latin American market, we can precisely offer what the regional customers want-attractive design and high quality at affordable prices,” said Kaeser. “We also supply other markets in the Americas, such as Argentina and Mexico, and thus want to utilize the enormous growth potential the region offers to cordless communication.”
