Bluetooth SIG Opens New Doors to Small Businesses

HONG KONG, May. 05 /PRNewswire/ --

HONG KONG, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bluetooth SIG announced today that it is launching the Bluetooth Small Business Incentive Program designed to grow the Bluetooth(R) technology market by creating new avenues of innovation and market entry for small businesses. The incentive program will provide a one- time discount on qualification related fees to those who apply for and meet the SIG's small business designation criteria.

Small, entrepreneurial businesses are important to technology innovation and evolution. As Bluetooth technology embarks on its ambitious technology roadmap, the incentive program will enhance the diversity and quality of Bluetooth products in the market while maintaining the global requirements for product qualification. Small businesses will enjoy significant cost savings in their earliest attempts to be competitive in the Bluetooth technology market, allowing them a unique opportunity to gain traction before graduating to the same cost structure as larger market players. By giving these companies a lower cost entry point to the market, small businesses are able to ensure quality while also gaining access to the growing demand for Bluetooth technology products. Additionally, the program benefits the Bluetooth market at large by reducing the number of unqualified products making their way to store shelves.

"We're opening the doors and leveling the playing field for small businesses," said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, the Bluetooth SIG. "The Bluetooth technology product market is growing so rapidly and small entrepreneurial businesses want to be a part of that. By creating this incentive program everyone wins -- we increase competition which gives more choices to the consumer, and we improve the overall quality and interoperability of products making their way to market."

To participate, small companies must prove that they have a paid-in capital of USD $2.4 Million or less and that their revenue from the most recent financial year does not exceed USD $3 Million. Once validated, the participants enjoy a significant discount on the costs of qualification. Program participants receive two listings on the Qualified Design Listings (QDL) and a 1-year license to use the Bluetooth Profile Tuning Suite (PTS) for a pre-payment of USD $2,500. This equates to a savings of USD $15,000 in costs associated with processes required for intellectual property and trademark license.

The Bluetooth Small Business Incentive Program is available to companies worldwide. Members began to apply to the program on May 1, 2008.

About Bluetooth(R) Wireless Technology

Bluetooth wireless technology is the global short-range wireless standard for personal connectivity of a broad range of electronic devices. The technology is now available in its fourth version of the core specification and continues to develop, building on its inherent strengths -- small-form factor radio, low power, low cost, built-in security, robustness, ease-of-use, and ad hoc networking abilities. More than five new Bluetooth enabled products are qualified every working day and 13 million Bluetooth units are shipping per week. The installed base of Bluetooth devices is nearly two billion and climbing, making it the only proven wireless technology choice for developers, product manufacturers, and consumers worldwide.

About the Bluetooth SIG

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), comprised of leaders in the telecommunications, computing, consumer electronics, automotive and network industries, is driving development of Bluetooth wireless technology and bringing it to market. The Bluetooth SIG includes Promoter group companies Ericsson, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia and Toshiba, along with over 10,000 Associate and Adopter member companies. The Bluetooth SIG, Inc. headquarters are located in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A. For more information please visit http://www.bluetooth.com.

The Bluetooth word mark and logo are registered trademarks and are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

Press Contacts: Americas Starr Million INK Public Relations for the Bluetooth SIG +1 (512) 382-8981 starr@ink-pr.com Asia-Pacific CHINA Andrew Wu Hill & Knowlton for the Bluetooth SIG (86 10) 5861 7596 andrew.wu@hillandknowlton.com.cn JAPAN Mike Litwin Inoue Public Relations for the Bluetooth SIG +81-3-5269-2301 m-litwin@inoue-pr.com KOREA Harry Yoon SMC, Inc. for the Bluetooth SIG +82-2-3445-3232 harry@oksmc.co.kr TAIWAN Jojo Chang Apex Communications Consultants Co., Ltd., for the Bluetooth SIG 886-2-7718-7777 ext. 535 jojo@apexpr.com.tw Europe, Middle East, Africa Danny Devriendt Porter Novelli for the Bluetooth SIG +32 475353465 danny.devriendt@porternovelli.be Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link. Dr. Michael Foley http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=31627