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Dual-band W-CDMA/cdma2000 handset due in Korea soon

http://www.telecomasia.net/telecomasia/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=133221

November 12, 2004

(Asia Intelligence Wire via NewsEdge) Korea’s Ministry of Information and Communication has announced that a dual-band-dual-mode (DBDM) phone that will operate on both W-CDMA and cdma2000 networks is due to be introduced in a few weeks.

DBDM phones are designed to function on a W-CDMA network but can also be run on a CDMA platform where W-CDMA coverage has yet to be established.

Samsung Electronics plans to introduce a DBDM phone in conjunction with SK Telecom this month.

“The advent of the long-awaited DBDM phones will realize the era of video calls through cellphones as well as bring other promising features,” said MIC official Seo Seong-il.

W-CDMA services are available only in Seoul and some parts of the surrounding Kyonggi province, representing just 15% of South Korea’s landmass.

The DBDM handset developed by Samsung has been described as prohibitively expensive with limited features. LG Electronics attempted to produce DBDM phones in an alliance with KTF but scrapped the plan on commercial grounds.

“Korea is the sole market for DBDM phones at the moment, so the model is not attractive to our handset makers, which typically rely on exports,” said Dongwon Securities analyst Greg Roh.