US-based wireless semi-conductor company Texas Instruments on Wednesday announced setting up of a new R&D centre in Chennai in a bid to increase its presence in India. This is TI's second R&D centre after it had set up one in Bangalore 20 years ago.
The Chennai centre was announced after a meeting between Mr Gilles Delfassy, Senior Vice-President, Wireless Terminals Business Unit, Texas Instruments, and Mr Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for IT and Communications. Mr Delfassy, however, did not disclose any other details about the second R&D centre.

"Today, there is a huge opportunity to connect the unconnected as the majority of India's population does not have access to communications services. TI has been committed to India for over 20 years, and I'm pleased to say that we are escalating our existing wireless design presence in recognition of the importance of India to the global wireless market," Mr Delfassy said.

Sub $20 phones


TI is betting big on its mobile single chip solution - LoCosto, which is expected to bring down mobile handset prices to sub $20. Low-cost handsets based on TI's LoCosto platform are expected in the Indian market this year.

Mr Maran said the Government has been pursuing with the handset manufacturers to develop low-cost phones. Motorola has already launched handsets that are sub $30. "Now we have an opportunity to have a sub-$20 phone, which will bring the cost of the phone down to less than Rs 1,000. The initiative taken by Texas Instruments or other manufacturers like Motorola is very important, as DoT is now focusing to increase the tele-density in rural India. An entry-level phone at Rs 1,000 will make a big difference," Mr Maran said.

"TI has long believed India offers huge potential - as a market, as an innovator, and as a global provider of mobile phone technology and services. TI remains committed to providing products and services that open up the possibilities for mobile technology in India and that help operators and manufacturers here be successful. And we are determined to do all we can to help India realise its vision of 500 million mobile phone users within the next four years," Mr Delfassy said.