Qualcomm Inc said on Thursday that it has started providing multi-mode high-speed wireless chips to customers on a trial basis as it looks to cash in on the move to next generation wireless services.

The wireless chip and technology licensing company said that device manufacturers now evaluating the new chips include Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, LG Electronics Inc, Novatel Wireless Inc, Sierra Wireless Inc and ZTE Corp.

Qualcomm said that devices based on its latest chips are expected to go on sale in the second half of 2010.

Its MDM9200 chip supports HSPA Plus, a high-speed wireless technology that operators such as T-Mobile USA are going to install in their networks, and Long Term Evolution (LTE), which Verizon Wireless plans to use to upgrade its mobile network.

T-Mobile USA is a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG and Verizon Wireless is owned by Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc.

Electronics Broadband Qualcomm Huawei