BenQ and Kineto Wireless announced today that BenQ is collaborating with Kineto Wireless to develop UMA-enabled dual mode GSM-WiFi handsets. BenQ's P50 Pocket PC phone is the first product from this collaboration.

The P50 is a quad-band GSM/GPRS product with an integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi radio and UMA Client Software from Kineto. The P50 also has an integrated QWERTY keyboard and a complete Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC Phone environment including Windows Media 9 capabilities.

"In forming a strategic relationship with Kineto, we hope to better meet the demand among carriers for UMA-enabled devices." said Irwin Chen, Vice President and General Manager of BenQ's Networking and Communication Business Group.

BenQ is using the Kineto Wireless UMA Client Software for the Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC Phone environment. Kineto Wireless provides a full compliment of device developer solutions for silicon platform suppliers, mobile handset developers and phone adaptor vendors to integrate UMA Technology. Kineto Wireless licenses Platform Developer Kits (PDKs), UMA Client Software for specific mobile platforms, validation tools and integration services.

"UMA Technology is the standard for convergence, and Kineto is pleased to be collaborating with BenQ on the development of UMA-enabled mobile phones," said Mark Powell, vice president and founder of Kineto."Kineto is providing BenQ with UMA Client Software, test tools and integration services to accelerate the delivery of the P50 to market."

The companies intend the P50 to support volume UMA deployments in 2005. The UMA-enabled P50 will be demonstrated in Kineto's booth at the 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, France, February 14-17, 2005.

About UMA Technology

Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology is the standard for fixed-mobile convergence (FMC). UMA technology enables access to mobile voice, data and IMS services over IP broadband access and unlicensed spectrum technologies. By deploying UMA technology, service providers can enable subscribers to roam and handover between cellular networks and public and private unlicensed wireless networks using dual-mode mobile handsets. With UMA, subscribers receive a consistent user experience for their mobile voice, data and IMS services as they transition between networks.

The UMA specifications were created by Alcatel, AT&T Wireless, British Telecom, Cingular, Ericsson, Kineto Wireless, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel, O2, Research in Motion, Rogers Wireless, Siemens, Sony-Ericsson and T-Mobile US. The specifications are available for download at www.umatechnology.org