6 Handsets for Orange 3G Launch

[A1c]

From 'Silicon.com' (04/11/2004):

'Tis the season to be 3G...

Orange has announced it has signed up six phone makers for its 3G launch and confirmed users will be able to bag the high-tech handsets some time before Christmas.

Orange users in the UK and France who want to get third-generation phones will be able to pick from models from LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sanyo and SonyEricsson.

The Sanyo offering, the S750, is a first for the electronics manufacturer, representing Sanyo's debut into the European market. The handset will also be exclusive to Orange.

In total, Orange will launch six handsets, one from each of the manufacturers, although the Motorola model is still under wraps.

Orange is not the only operator hoping to fill the shelves with 3G goodies in time for the Christmas spending boom - rival Vodafone has also announced its readying its third-generation push, with 10 handsets in the starting blocks.

While neither Orange nor Vodafone has given official details on when the official launch will go ahead, Vodafone's is expected to be ahead of Orange's.

An Orange spokesman said that the operator wasn't concerned by its second place start. "We've had 10,000 registrations of interest from customers without having even having talked about [3G]," he said.

Research firm Analysys predicts that by 2005, Western Europe will have 27 million 3G users and by 2009 70 per cent of mobile owners will be packing a 3G-enabled device.

URL: http://networks.silicon.com/mobile/0,39024665,39125597,00.htm

[A1c]

The Samsung handset Orange will offer has been confirmed as the Z-107..... details to follow.

[A1c]

Some more handset details from Unstrung (04/11/2004):

Orange will be launching commercial 3G services to customers in the UK and France before the end of the year and in addition to the handsets from LG and SonyEricsson that were announced in July, devices from Samsung, Sanyo, Nokia and Motorola will be offered to customers in both countries.

Orange has been working closely with the selected handset manufacturers to develop world-class devices, all of which have been part of extensive customer trials in the UK and France. The first results of this cooperation - the LG U8150, SonyEricsson Z1010, Samsung Z107, Sanyo S750, and Nokia 6630 - will deliver the unique Orange Signature phone experience. All handsets will give simple, intuitive and high-speed access to the Orange World P o r t a l and the internet as well as other services such as mobile email, gaming and music downloads. They will also give customers access to exciting new 3G services including video telephony and video downloads.

The S750 represents Sanyo’s first foray into the European mobile market and builds on its established reputation for high-quality consumer electronic goods. The handset, which is exclusive to Orange and has been developed in close collaboration between the two companies, will offer a mega pixel camera and a QVGA screen. As the biggest supplier of digital cameras in Europe, Sanyo has shared its unrivalled expertise in cameras and video with Orange giving customers even better access to multi-media services.

Florian Seiche, Director of Devices, Orange SA comments, “Orange is moving into the 3G market by extending our successful Signature Phone strategy. We remain focussed on delivering to our customers the best possible user experience and so have carefully selected device vendors who also share this objective.”

Full Story: http://www.unstrung.com/document.asp?doc_id=62294&site=unstrung

[Gunner]

Ah, good news. The pre-Christmas plans look to be going ahead. Excellent to see their improved handset range - six individual well-known electronics manufacturers certainly offers superior consumer choice. The Sanyo will certainly be interesting.

I'm also interested to see the Z1010 still in the lineup. I knew they wouldn't just let them rot. :)

It's going to be an exciting Christmas, what with Voda pushing ahead too. Just a few more days to go before that kicks off!

[ColinR]

Christmas...[snip] Just a few more days to go before that kicks off!
Guess you didn't go into my local Boots on the last day of September then... :D

And of course Marks And Spencer's Advent Calendars go on sale as soon as the chocolate's best before date becomes 31/12/04!

[haveagoade]

Glad to see oranges ass is NOW in GEAR.........hurry up and let the clutch out......soon!

[Gunner]

Guess you didn't go into my local Boots on the last day of September then... :D

And of course Marks And Spencer's Advent Calendars go on sale as soon as the chocolate's best before date becomes 31/12/04!
LoL! Too damn right. M&S here had Christmas stuff in before the hallowe'en stuff was gone!

The best before date on those Z1010's must be getting close now, not long before the floodgates open.