Vodafone agrees branded phone deal

Vodafone has signed a deal with budget handset maker Sagem Communications to boost its presence in the branded mobile phone market. The Vodafone-branded handset will launch in June.

Vodafone is keen to develop its brand with the launch of competitively priced handsets that feature original design. It has already formed a strategic alliance with China’s Huawei Technologies to launch its first branded phone (MW September 28, 2006).

Vodafone says the new handset will be in line with its Original Design Manufacturers’ strategy, which aims to create handset with good design and the new phone will be “extra-slim” and will have a 65k colour screen.

Jens Schulte-Bockum, global director of Terminals at Vodafone, says: “Vodafone’s Original Design Manufacturers’ strategy is intended to use Vodafone’s size and purchasing power to engage with the best white label handset markers and then use the power of the Vodafone brand to bring their products to market.”

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