Qualcomm, Room to Read, Nepal Telecom and S-Fone Establish Computer Labs With
3G Internet Connectivity in Rural Communities
-- 3G to Benefit Underserved Communities in Nepal and Vietnam --
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq:
QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies,
products and services, and Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that
partners with local communities throughout the developing world and is
dedicated to promoting and enabling global education, announced today the
establishment of wireless computer labs with 3G CDMA broadband Internet
connectivity for rural schools in Nepal and Vietnam. Each lab includes 20-25
computers and serves as many as 50 students during a class period. In
addition to providing training for students to learn basic computer skills,
each lab also plans to use technology to teach other subjects such as English,
math and science.
"Access to online resources and educational materials can have a life-changing
impact on students. Not only will they have connectivity that enables access
to learning materials and communities for the first time, but they will also
have the opportunity to gain specialized skills and training," said Dr. Paul
E. Jacobs, chairman and CEO of Qualcomm. "Qualcomm is committed to enabling
wireless technology to help improve socioeconomic conditions and enhance
quality of life in local communities. I believe this project works to
accomplish both of those goals and we are fortunate to be working with Room to
Read, Nepal Telecom and S-Fone to address computer literacy in developing
countries."
As part of the project, five wireless labs have been established in the Kaski
and Kavre regions of Nepal and six labs in Can Tho Province of southern
Vietnam. Qualcomm and Room to Read are working with Nepal Telecom and S-Fone
in Nepal and Vietnam, respectively, to provide broadband connectivity in
schools. Through the provisioning of affordable, high-quality and reliable
Internet connectivity to government schools where landline access is limited
or unavailable, the wireless lab project helps underserved students bridge the
digital divide and addresses the goal of universal access and opportunity in
education.
"The entire Room to Read team is thrilled to have Qualcomm as a collaborator
in this important pilot program," said John Wood, founder and executive
chairman of Room to Read. "By providing books and schools to nearly 10,000
communities in the developing world, Room to Read has opened up opportunities
for children whose families face a cruel paradox - they are too poor to afford
education, but until they have education, they will always be poor. Now, with
the addition of technology and the Internet, these children will have access
to a whole new world."
Room to Read believes that all children, regardless of gender or background,
have a right to education. By empowering children through this lifelong gift,
Room to Read sees a world in which people are able to realize their full
potential. Room to Read's programs have reached more than three million
children and hopes to improve literacy for five million children by
establishing over 10,000 libraries and distributing nearly nine million
children's books by 2010. Room to Read is providing opportunities that change
children's lives and communities throughout Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos,
Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zambia.
"We are pleased to be a part of this important project," said Amar Nath Singh,
managing director of Nepal Telecom. "In this increasingly connected world,
providing the opportunity for students to have dependable access to the
Internet in their early school life initiates a completely new dimension in
providing basic schooling needs to children. Teaching children how to take
the best benefit from the available Information & Communications Technology
opens a new chapter in their fundamental learning process."
"Access to the Internet can provide students more educational opportunities
and the ability to build upon their problem solving skills," said Ho Hong Son,
managing director of S-Telecom - CDMA Mobile Network Operator - S-Fone. "The
benefit of this accessibility will help their futures as they enter into a
world where most of their peers use the Internet."
About Room to Read
Room to Read is an innovative nonprofit leader dedicated to promoting and
enabling global education. Founded in 2000, the organization is based on the
belief that education is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty in the
developing world. Since then, the organization has supported over three
million children by providing increased access to higher-quality educational
opportunities. Room to Read has established more than 700 schools and over
7,000 bilingual libraries with five million books, and continues to support
the education of nearly 7,000 girls. For more information, visit
www.roomtoread.org.
About Nepal Telecom
Nepal Telecom is the leading and the largest telecommunications company of
Nepal. A former government monopoly, it was converted into a Public Limited
Company with its registered identity as "Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited
(NDCL)" on April 14, 2004 and its brand name as "Nepal Telecom". With its
motto "Nation Building Is Our Goal", Nepal Telecom is continuously striving to
provide a huge portfolio of telecommunications services ranging from the basic
to the state-of-the-art services (including broadband Internet) in the urban
to the remotest areas of the country beyond the Himalayas. For more
information, please visit www.ntc.net.np.
About S-Fone
S-Fone, the first CDMA-based mobile network in Vietnam, was inaugurated in
July 2003. With a particular strategy to become the CDMA leader in the
Vietnam market, S-Fone serves its customers by deploying utility applications
based on the 3G standard, providing customers with various advanced
value-added services launched for the first time in Vietnam such as Live TV,
VOD, MOD and Mobile Internet. Besides, S-Fone will also consider upgrading
its network to EV-DO Rev. A as well as applying HSDPA (WCDMA) technologies in
the coming years apart from further developing its services based on CDMA2000®
1xEV-DO technology.
About Wireless Reach
Qualcomm believes access to advanced wireless voice and data services improves
people's lives. Qualcomm's Wireless Reach initiative supports programs and
solutions that bring the benefits of connectivity to underserved communities
globally. By working with partners, Wireless Reach projects create new ways
for people to communicate, learn, access health care, sustain the environment
and reach global markets. For more information, please visit
www.qualcomm.com/wirelessreach.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM) is a leader in developing and delivering
innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA
and other advanced technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Qualcomm
is included in the S&P 100 Index, the S&P 500 Index and is a 2009 FORTUNE 500®
company. For more information, please visit www.qualcomm.com.
Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. CDMA2000 is a
registered trademark of the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA USA).
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Qualcomm Contacts:
Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications
Phone: 1-858-845-5959
Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com
John Gilbert, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: ir@qualcomm.com
Room to Read Contact:
Rebecca Hankin, Director of Communications
Phone: 415-561-3331, ext. 142
Email: rebecca.hankin@roomtoread.org
SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm, Tina Asmar, Corporate Communications, +1-858-845-5959,
corpcomm@qualcomm.com, or John Gilbert, Investor Relations, +1-858-658-4813,
ir@qualcomm.com, both of Qualcomm Incorporated; or Rebecca Hankin, Director of
Communications of Room to Read, +1-415-561-3331, ext. 142,
rebecca.hankin@roomtoread.org
