ZTE to launch pre-pay 3G handset in UK

December 20, 2005

Mobile media company 3 and ZTE Corporation launched the ZTE F866 3G handset in the UK. This is ZTE's first 3G mobile to go on sale in Europe.

The ZTE F866 is a stylish clamshell handset, with a rotating camera, supporting 3's full range of communications and entertainment services, including MP3 audio and video streaming. The ZTE F866 is exclusively available on 3's great value pay-as-you-go offer from this week.

The handset launch follows ZTE being named as a preferred global handset supplier to the 3 Group of companies and is the Chinese company's first entry into the European mobile phone market.

Marc Allera, Sales Director 3 UK said: "We're very pleased to be offering the ZTE F866, an exciting great value 3G video mobile, with today's announcement ZTE becomes the sixth handset supplier to 3 in the UK. We have worked with ZTE to supply an entry level handset for customers signing up to pay-as-you-go on 3. The ZTE F866 supports our full range of entertainment services and ensures 3 continues to have the leading range of 3G mobiles to suit everyone's taste and across all price points."

Mr. Frank Bai, ZTE UK general manager said: "The introduction of the F866 handset into the United Kingdom is a significant development for us and we are strongly placed to compete with other established handset manufacturers. We have worked very hard with 3 to establish a commercial offering that combines the value of an affordable device with the additional benefits of access to 3G technology and the enhanced services it provides."

ZTE has previously exported its WCDMA 3G handsets to the Asian and American markets and ZTE 3G data cards have been sold to European markets.

ZTE has one of the most complete product portfolios in the telecoms sector covering handsets and infrastructure products in all three spectrums of 3G - WCDMA, CDMA 2000 and TD-SCDMA.