First Korean company to join global trade association
Dubai, February 13, 2005: Amid continuing growth in its GSM and 3G mobile handset business, global and regional digital leader LG Electronics has joined GSM Association, a global organisation that plays a vital role in the development of the GSM platform and the global wireless industry.
This membership will enable LG to play a bigger role in defining future telecom needs in conjunction with mobile operators. Established in 1987, GSM Association (GSMA) is an international cooperative organisation designed to develop GSM mobile telecommunication technologies and platforms, as well as the worldwide wireless telecommunication industry. The organisation currently consists of 650 second and third generation mobile operators and more than 150 manufacturers and suppliers. Major GSMA members include Nokia, Motorola, Intel, Microsoft, and Cisco, among others.
"LG Electronics began its GSM handset business in 2000 and has posted a hefty growth rate of 100 percent every year. We now look forward to bolstering our partnerships with major global operators to aggressively penetrate the GSM and 3G markets in Europe and other regions around the world," said K H Kim, President, LG Electronics Middle East and Africa Operations.
LG, the first Korean company to join GSMA, will participate in over nine GSMA working groups, discuss mobile technologies-related issues, and contribute to the development of GSM and W-CDMA technologies. This will help the company track market trends and develop products to service customer needs.
As part of its activities, GSMA holds the annual 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France in February for companies engaged in mobile communications business from around the world.
Worldwide, the number of GSM subscribers now accounts for more than 73 percent of the world's digital wireless market; global GSM subscribers are predicted smash through the one billion mark in the near future. According to IDC, competition will drive growth in the telecom services and infrastructure equipment markets in the Gulf States, Iran, and Jordan this year. Mobile operators in these competitive markets will start the migration to next generation networks (NGN), convinced by the potential of NGNs for cost savings and return on investment (RIO).
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About LG Electronics, Inc.LG Electronics, Inc. (Korea Stock Exchange: 066570.KR) was established in 1958 as the pioneer in the Korean consumer electronics market. The company is a major global force in electronics and information and communications products with more than 64,000 employees working in 76 overseas subsidiaries and marketing units around the world. With annual total revenues of more than US $16.9 billion (non-consolidated), LG Electronics conducts its business in three main areas: Digital Display & Media, Digital Appliances, and Telecommunications Equipment & Handsets.
The LG Telecommunication Equipment & Handset Company provides total solutions company is a leader in the innovation and development of cutting -edge technologies in next-generation wireless telecommunications and is steadily expanding its global market share in 3G (WCDMA / cdma2000) wireless systems
LG Electronics' goal is to enable the intelligent networking of digital products that will make consumers' lives better than ever. For more information, please visit www.lge.com
For more information, contact:
Hamad M. Malik Shilpa Mathai/Rana Bechara
Senior Regional Manager Polaris Public Relations
Marketing & Corporate Communications Dubai, UAE
LGE Middle East & Africa Operations Tel: +9714-3348522
Tel: +9714-3340066 Fax: +9714-3341326
Fax: +9714-3370515 Email: s.mathai@polaris-me.com
Email: hamad@lge.com Email: r.bechara@polaris-me.com
© Press Release 2005
