LISBON, Portugal--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ZTE and mobile network operator TMN have shaken up the Portuguese smart phone market with a business model that makes smart phones available to virtually all handset users, enabling anyone to enjoy mobile internet access and the latest mobile applications.

ZTE is now speaking to operators around Europe about the production of operator branded or joint-branded smart phones.

ZTE’s handset business is focused on customising phones in association with operators for each individual market – targeting specific market segments that the operator believes offer the best business opportunities.

“We cannot disclose any of the discussions currently under way with other operators, but we expect to be delivering smart phones into most Western European markets by the end of 2010,” said ZTE Executive Vice President and head of the Mobile Terminals Division, Mr He Shiyou.

Since its launch in May this year, the co-branded ZTE/TMN Bluebelt 3G handset has taken 30% of the Portuguese smart phone market, and is predicted to take over 40% percent by the end of the year.

ZTE and TMN have today launched the new Bluebelt II and Silverbelt phones running Microsoft Windows® phone to maintain the momentum of the Bluebelt handset’s success, and expect to continue building market share.

“These are high specification handsets at a price that most mobile phone users can afford – making functions that were previously only available to business and premium customers available to almost everyone,” said Mr He.

“ZTE’s approach also strongly supports the operator, with a larger percentage of the consumer’s spend going to the operator rather than the handset manufacturer.”

“Our association with ZTE has changed the face of the smart phone market in Portugal and opened up a huge new market for us,” said Mr. Luis Avelar, CMO of PT Group. “Tens of thousands of people now have smart phones and all the benefits they deliver, who could never have imagined that they could afford such a high specification phone.”

ZTE has invested heavily in the research and development of smart phones over the last five years and has focused on becoming the world leader in the development of customised mobile phones.

Demand for smart phones has reached the point where they are no longer seen as a luxury or a strictly work-related item. ZTE recognised this trend early on and invested in the development of smart phones that not only offer the sleek design, superior processing capabilities and attractive prices consumers desire, but that also work smoothly on each carrier’s network.

About ZTE

ZTE is a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions. The ZTE product range is the most complete in the world – covering virtually every sector of the wireline, wireless, service and terminals markets. The company delivers innovative, custom-made products and services to over 500 operators in more than 140 countries, helping them to achieve continued revenue growth and to shape the future of the world’s communications. ZTE commits around 10% of annual turnover to research and development and takes a leading role in a wide range of international bodies developing emerging telecoms standards. It is the fastest growing telecoms equipment company in the world, and is China’s only listed telecoms manufacturer, with shares publicly traded on both the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. In the Asian Wall Street Journal’s Readers’ Survey 2007, ZTE was among the ‘Top 10 Most Admired Companies in China’, the only company that was included in the Top 10 list representing the telecom industry. ZTE was awarded the ’Most Promising Vendor of the Year’ by Frost & Sullivan in its 2007 Asia Pacific ICT Awards, and was reported as the fastest growing telecom equipment and solutions provider among the major telecom vendors worldwide by IDC in 2007. ZTE was included in BusinessWeek’s 2006 ranking of China’s Top 20 Brands. For more information, please visit www.zte.com.cn.