Siemens will introduce a dual-mode wireless handset in the US this
month with a view to helping customers switch to GSM
services.
The new device will support both the Time Division Multiple Access
(TDMA) mobile phone service widely in use in the US as well as the
GSM technology that is more popular in Europe and Asia but used by
a few mobile carriers in North America.
Siemens first announced its planned S47 handset a year ago, saying
it would support the TDMA 800MHz frequency as well as the GSM900
MHz band used in Europe and the GSM 1900MHz band operated in the
US.
The handset will be launched "in conjunction with a major
provider", Peter Zapf, president of mobile phones within Siemens'
Information and Communication Mobile group, said.
Among the major operators of GSM services in the US are AT&T
Wireless Services, Cingular Wireless and VoiceStream Wireless,
which Deutsche Telekom acquired last year.
Nokia announced the Nokia 6340 in January, a handset that is
capable of roaming between GSM, TDMA and analogue networks.