Samsung has announced the release of T-DMB phones for a number of Chinese mobile phone operators.

Samsung Electronics to supply the first Terrestrial DMB Phones to China

Seoul, Korea – January 9th, 2006: Samsung Electronics, Korea based leading telecom systems and mobile phone provider, has agreed to supply a total of 500,000 terrestrial DMB phones to two major Chinese Mobile TV operators – Beijing Jolon Digital Media Broadcasting Co., LTD. and Guangdong Mobile Television Media Co., LTD – making Samsung the first handset manufacturer to provide commercially ready terrestrial DMB (T-DMB) phones in China.

Samsung will provide 200,000 handsets to Beijing Jolon which will launch China’s first commercial DMB service in the Beijing area in April this year. Samsung and Beijing Jolon will work together to develop a terrestrial DMB technology standard for China as well as various DMB phones and value-added DMB services.

Beijing Jolon President, Mr. Qin Xuegang , said, “We are delighted to launch the first terrestrial DMB service in China with Samsung mobile phones. We have high expectation for the terrestrial DMB phones manufactured by Samsung Electronics“

Samsung has also agreed to supply terrestrial DMB phones to Guangdong Mobile Television Media, which plans to begin commercial service in Guangdong Province within the first half of 2006. Samsung will deliver 300,000 phones for one year after the launch date. The two companies have also agreed to partner up in development and marketing stages of DMB phones.

China is expected to become the second country, following Korea, to start a commercial DMB service. Trial services are ready to be commercialized in many other parts of the globe this year as some European countries plan to start broadcasting in time for the 2006 World Cup. Mobile broadcasting will be the main issue of the mobile phone industry for this year.

Samsung Electronics has already provided satellite and terrestrial DMB phones in Korea and has been actively cooperating with European operators for the commercial launching of Mobile TV service targeting the 2006 World Cup soccer games. With additional shipments of Terrestrial DMB phones to Chinese Market, TV operators, Samsung Electronics’ solid foundation is in good position to lead the Chinese and the global mobile TV market.

Kitae Lee, President of Telecommunications Network Business at Samsung Electronics said, “The world mobile TV market will grow rapidly this year. Samsung Electronics has the technology for all mobile TV formats, including Satellite DMB (S-DMB), terrestrial DMB (T-DMB), DVB-H and Media FLO. We will leverage our cutting-edge technologies and sophisticated designs to continue leading the global DMB phone market as well.”