Pantech Launches Its First Branded Handset in Canada via TELUS
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o Slim, modern Pantech PN-3200 targeted at young, trend-setting consumers
SEOUL/TORONTO - August 16, 2006: Pantech Group, the number two mobile phone company in South Korea, and TELUS, Canada's second largest CDMA service operator, today announced the Canadian launch of the Pantech PN-3200. The launch, in partnership with TELUS, marks the first time that Pantech has provided handsets under its own brand in Canada.
Targeted at young trend setters, the slim, modern PN-3200 handset combines a sophisticated design with practical and wide ranging functionality, including Bluetooth applications.
Mike Cost, Chief Operating Officer, Pantech (North America), said: "The introduction of the PN-3200 handset in Canada and our strengthened partnership with TELUS are the latest stages in our efforts to position Pantech as a global brand. Although this is the first time for us to offer our products under the Pantech brand in this market, we are confident that the PN-3200, with its exciting features and cool design, will quickly find favor with Canadian users."
Canada is a key element of the wider North American market. The current total number of mobile subscribers in the country is 17 million, representing more than 50 per cent of the Canadian population. Pantech has supplied mobile phones to TELUS since the late 1990s as an original design manufacturer.
The PN-3200 is a clamshell style mobile phone with an exceptional range of applications for users, including VGA camera with video player, music player, along with a stereo system, supporting a number of different audio formats. The PN-3200 operates on TELUS' national digital 1X network.
Pantech has increased its presence in the North American market in recent months with enhanced brand awareness and direct supplies to operators. Last June, Pantech introduced the Pantech C300, the world's smallest camera flip phone in the GSM arena, to the U.S.
PN-3200 features:
o Mode: Dual-mode (CDMA, PCS)/GPS
o Size and weight: 89 x 49 x 16.3mm, 100g
o Display: Main- 1.9'' 260K, TFT LCD (176x220)
Sub - 1.1'', 65K, CSTN LCD (96x96)
o Camera: VGA CMOS(300K)
o Music player (supporting files: midi, qcelp, evrc, wav, aac, MP3)
o Video player (supporting files: MPEG3, H.263)
o Languages: English, French
o Speakerphone
o Voice activated dialing
o Bluetooth
About Pantech:
Pantech, through its affiliates - Pantech Co., Ltd., Pantech&Curitel Communications, Inc. and Pantech C&I Co. - is the number two mobile phone company in South Korea and is the seventh largest handset manufacturer in the world. Pantech has been responsible for a number of breakthrough innovations in the mobile technology sector, including the introduction in 2004 of the world's first fingerprint recognition camera phone, as well as award winning camcorder, MP3 and DMB phones. In 2005, Pantech affiliate Pantech&Curitel Communications acquired SK Teletech Co., the handset manufacturing arm of SK Telecom, the number one mobile network operator in South Korea. The SKY brand, originally marketed by SK Teletech as the most popular premium handset brand in South Korea, has since become part of the Pantech brand portfolio. Pantech markets its products under the SKY and Curitel brands in the domestic Korean market and under the Pantech brand overseas. Pantech collectively has approximately 5,000 employees and 22 regional sales offices worldwide. For more information on Pantech, please visit www.pantech.com.
About TELUS:
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $8.2 billion of annual revenue and 10.3 million customer connections including 4.6 million wireless subscribers, 4.7 million wireline network access lines and 1.0 million Internet subscribers. The company's strategic intent is to unleash the power of the Internet to deliver the best solutions to Canadians at home, in the workplace and on the move. TELUS provides customers with a wide range of wireline and wireless communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video services. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
Pantech
In Soo Nam
nam.insoo@pantech.com
+822-2030-1931
Eun Sil Koh
summer1004@pantech.com
+822-2030-1933
TELUS
Julie Smithers
julie.smithers@telus.com
+416-279-3956
