Broadcom buys GPS chip maker Global Locate

Just as the FCC looks to tighten requirements for E-911 and location-based commercial services begin to heat up, chipset vendor Broadcom, better known for its skirmish with Qualcomm over 3G chip patents, said it is buying GPS chip maker Global Locate for $146 million. Global Locate's GPS semiconductor solutions are used in major handset supplier models and in products from navigation giant Tom Tom NV. Last year, Motorola made a strategic investment in Global Locate [1]. Broadcom and other chipset vendors have been struggling to get a foothold in the 3G chip market, which is dominated by Qualcomm and Ericsson Mobile Platforms. The acquisition of Global Locate should help Broadcom propel its position in the 3G world as GPS becomes a key technology. Broadcom says its purchase will enable it to develop standalone GPS chips as well as GPS chips that incorporate other wireless standards.

For more about Broadcom's acquisition:
- read this release [2]