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Huawei moves into new market
February 24, 2003
Huawei Technologies, China's leading maker of telecommunications
equipment, said on Monday it plans to begin making 3G mobile phone
handsets.
After being criticized for missing out on the handset market, Huawei
may now have a fresh opportunity with the new 3G technologies.
"It is based on the idea of coordinating networks and handsets,"
said company spokesman Fu Jun. "We want to provide operators with
a complete, end-to-end solution."
Fu said the company wasn't prepared to provide more information
on its plans at present, and said there was no timetable on when
the 3G mobile phones might reach the market.
China's mobile operators are expected this year to begin trials
for 3G technology, in preparation for commercial use in 2004.
Fu emphasized that the plan wasn't an entirely new development,
citing the joint venture Huawei set up last year for research and
development into technology for 3G handsets. In August, Huawei also
licensed a portfolio of 3G patents from Telefon AB LM Ericsson,
which included patents for both network equipment and handsets.
Asked whether Huawei would also start making handsets for current-generation
technologies now in use in China, such as GSM and CDMA, Fu said
that would "depend on the development of the business. We are primarily
considering 3G."
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3G Motorola A920
