Orange nears 3G launch in UK

December 2, 2004

Orange will announce plans of its 3G mobile phone service in France and Britain on Monday. The launch is likely to be a low key event with only two or three handsets expected to be available by Christmas.

The company has lined up 3G phones from six different manufacturers, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sanyo and Sony Ericsson. Sanyo's S750 was launched earlier this week and is likely to be available on Orange by Christmas. The Orange website is also displaying the Samsung Z107, Nokia 6630, Sony Ericsson Z1010 and LG U8150 handsets but all have yet to be priced.

In October Orange chief executive Sanjiv Ahuja said the company would not hesitate delaying its 3G launch until next year if glitches with the technology remained unresolved. Ahuja also criticised current handsets generated too much heat which could even be used to fry an egg.

Rival Vodafone launched its 3G service in November and will to have around nine handsets by Christmas. It will be supported by Sharp's two-megapixel camera phone, the 902SH, expected to cost between £50 and £250.

However, the consumer magazine Which? has advised consumers not buy 3G handsets this Christmas. It says that UK network coverage for 3G is too limited to make the cost of the phones worthwhile and urged users to stick with existing handsets until 3G coverage improves outside big cities. Which? also describes some of the 3G handsets as "bulky".