Motorola earmarks US$20mn to centralize software tests

US telecoms equipment supplier Motorola (NYSE: MOT) plans to invest US$20mn to centralize all its mobile phone software verification tests at its Brazil Test Center in Jaguariúna (SP) as of the first quarter of 2005, local daily Valor Econômico reported. The company will invest funds in the center over the next 15 months and aims to hire 100 people for a total of 550 software researchers. "This investment is one more win for the center for excellence in Jaguariúna, where we have invested US$175mn in the last seven years," Motorola Latin America development director Roberto Soboll was quoted as saying. Brazil's victory of in this area was almost "natural" due to the research and development already conducted by its subsidiary, according to Motorola executives. For example, Motorola Brasil launched at the end of 2002 the C353 cell phone model, whose hardware and software were developed entirely in Brazil. The model was sold to the US and to countries within Latin America. There are another 10 Motorola world centers that test diverse areas of mobile software integration and which will continue working on other stages of development. "The objective is not to reduce costs but to diminish the incidence of defects for final users," Motorola research and development director Rosana Fernades was quoted as saying. "The increase in complexity requires focus on this area."