NXP CEO Frans van Houten has descirbed Samsung's decision to use it as a 3G chipset supplier as an "exciting step" for the chip firm.

At the heart of the technology deal is NXP's Nexperia Cellular System Solution 7210 which will be used in Samsung's UMTS/EDGE handset.

"Extending the collaboration we have with Samsung in GSM/GPRS and EDGE, and more recently in TD-SCDMA, to UMTS is an exciting step for NXP,” said Frans van Houten, CEO NXP Semiconductors.

The multimedia processor platform remains at the centre of NXP's plans for a truly single chip mobile design.

Only last month NXP said it was working with mobile Linux design company Purple Labs to create a 3G Linux reference design, based on Nexperia silicon, for a low cost multimedia phone which operators will buy for less than $100.

The reference phone is based on the NXP Nexperia Cellular System Solution 7210 for 3G, coupled with the Purple Labs Linux suite.

See also our NXP Interview: The race to make a single chip mobile phone