News release |
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Qiao Xing enters mobile market with eZiText™
Calgary, AB (January 3, 2001) -- China's top fixed and cordless phone manufacturer has licensed eZiText™ to enhance its new mobile phone offering. Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) has signed a licensing and royalty agreement with Huizhou Qiao Xing Group Co., Ltd., the parent company of Qiao Xing Universal Telephone Inc., a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market (XING).
Qiao Xing has licensed eZiText™ to support their entry into mobile phone manufacturing. The company plans to begin manufacturing mobile phones on both CDMA and GSM platforms, with eZiText™ included in both implementations. The agreement covers the use of eZiText™ in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese and English.
"Entry into China's highly competitive handset market is dependent on innovation and customization," says Kam Ching, director business development and sales, PRC, Zi Corporation. "eZiText™ adds value and broadens the market reach for handset products."
Qiao Xing entered the Chinese telecom manufacturing scene in 1992. Initially, Qiao Xing produced devices for other companies, but quickly graduated to manufacturing their own product line. Qiao Xing has captured a strong position in the Chinese market with products such as the world's first cordless telephone with Chinese display.
"We have achieved our position by creating products that meet the needs of Chinese consumers," said Rui Lin Wu, chairman, Qiao Xing. "Our new mobile phone offering will be enhanced with eZiText™, providing consumers with a government certified solution which is easy to learn and use."
Qiao Xing is one of China's leading telephone manufacturers and was rated first in telephone sales in China for 1999. The company currently produces 165 models of corded telephones and 25 cordless models. Qiao Xing is expanding its offering to include DECT phones, CDMA handsets and GSM mobile phones. Products are sold under the Qiao Xing brand through an extensive sales network with over 1,300 retail locations throughout China. Qiao Xing obtained its listing on the NASDAQ National Market (XING) in 1999.
Zi Corporation is a market-driven technology company focused on developing and delivering intelligent interface solutions and services to the wireless and consumer Internet spaces. The company's core technology product, eZiText™ connects people to short messaging, e-mail, e-commerce, Web browsing and similar applications in almost any written language. The company's service division provides market-leading engineering design in Bluetooth, VoIP and man-machine interface. Zi supports its strategic partners from offices in Calgary, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shenzhen, Stockholm and Tokyo. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ National Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ZIC).
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For further information, please contact:
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Diane Phillips Zi Corporation Manager, Investor Relations and Communications Phone: 403 231-4575 Email: investor@zicorp.com Web site: www.zicorp.com |
Chen Zhifeng Qiaoxing Universal Telephone Co., Ltd. Assistant to the Chairman Phone: 86 752 2808188 Email: qxxing@pub.huizhou.gd.cn Web site: www.qiaoxing.com |