21st May 2007 10:30
Vodafone Group Plc21 May 2007 21 May 2007 VODAFONE LAUNCHES FIRST ULTRA-LOW COST HANDSETS Vodafone-only branded handsets to increase access to mobile technology for millions in Emerging Markets Vodafone today unveils its first Vodafone-only branded ultra-low cost consumerhandsets, the Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225, aimed at providing millions ofpeople in emerging and developing markets the opportunity to access to thebenefits of mobile technology for the very first time. The Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225 are part of Vodafone's ongoing commitment toexpand access to mobile in emerging markets, where mobile technology andnetworks are often the only viable and cost effective telecoms service. Thehandsets are therefore key to offering a range of services, particularly inrural areas where mobile penetration is often at its lowest. In markets such as India or Tanzania the cost of purchasing a mobile handset canbe one of the key barriers to accessing mobile services. In countries such asKenya and Egypt, where Vodafone has introduced mobile financial remittanceservices, mobile technology has been shown to be able to provide secure andsocially beneficial services beyond simple voice and data services to those whohave not access to a bank account. The Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225 handsetsare intended to help drive mobile penetration and will provide access toservices for people in emerging markets that are already commonplace in WesternEurope. The handsets are likely to retail at around $25-$45 US Dollars (19 -35euros) depending on the specific model and the local market conditions. The Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225 are the first handsets manufactured forVodafone by China's ZTE Corporation, following a global handset procurementagreement signed between the two companies in December 2006. The handsets arealmost identical in functionality however the Vodafone 125 has a black and whitescreen and the Vodafone 225 has a colour screen. Features, design andfunctionality were specified by Vodafone. "The Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225 are the first of a range of ultra-low costhandsets which will be manufactured exclusively for Vodafone and its affiliatesby ZTE Corporation, "said Jens Schulte-Bockum, Vodafone's Global Director ofTerminals. " We are delighted that they represent everything that customers havecome to expect from Vodafone - high quality and exceptional value for money. Webelieve that the Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225 will help enfranchise millionsmore people across the world, giving them good quality, attractive handsets,with popular features and functionality, at a reasonable price" "Our work with Vodafone represents a big breakthrough in the market and hasgiven ZTE an opportunity to demonstrate its capabilities in product design,production and management", said He Shiyou, General Manager of ZTE's HandsetDivision and Senior Vice President of ZTE. Vodafone Egypt, Vodafone Romania and Vodacom (South Africa) will be the firstcountries to launch the Vodafone 125 and 225 handsets in the next few weeks. - ends - VODAFONE is a trade mark of the Vodafone Group. Other products and company namesmentioned herein may be the trade marks of their respective owners. For further information: Vodafone Group Investor Relations Media RelationsTel: +44 (0) 1635 664447 Tel: +44 (0) 1635 664444 Sheila Xiaolan Wang Tel: 020 8231 7102ZTE (UK) Ltd. About Vodafone Vodafone is the world's leading international mobile communications group withoperations in 25 countries across five continents and over 200 millionproportionate customers by the end of January 2007, as well as 38 partnernetworks. For further information, please visit www.vodafone.com About ZTE ZTE is a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and networksolutions. The ZTE product range is the most complete in the world - coveringvirtually every sector of the wireline, wireless and handset markets. Thecompany delivers innovative, custom-made products and services to customers inmore than 100 countries, helping them to achieve continued revenue growth and toshape the future of the world's communications. ZTE commits around 10% of annualturnover to research and development and takes a leading role in a wide range ofinternational bodies developing emerging telecoms standards. It is the fastestgrowing telecoms equipment company in the world, and is China's only listedtelecoms manufacturer, with shares publicly traded on both the Hong Kong andShenzhen Stock Exchanges. ZTE was the only Chinese IT and telecoms manufacturerlisted in Business Week 2005's Information Technology 100 and was included inits 2006 ranking of China's Top 20 brands. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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