NEC Considers Handset Merger
NEC Corp. is hoping to tie or merge its cell phone business with that of another Japanese handset maker within the next 6 months, its president said in an interview published Tuesday in a Japanese newspaper. President Akinobu Kanasugi told the Asahi Shimbun newspaper that he wants to find a domestic partner for his company’s cell phone business. He has ruled out working with a foreign cell phone maker because NEC has a large amount of 3G-related technology and know-how that was gained with NTT DoCoMo and other domestic partners, he said.
His comments come two weeks after NEC disclosed plans to scale back its cell phone handset business in China because it is having trouble making money in the mid-range market. NEC began a high-profile push into China’s high-end market in 2004 and expanded into the mid-range after finding some success. Continue