Sprint Nextel to Sell HTC-Branded 3G Phones in USA

TAIPEI -(Dow Jones)- Taiwan's High Tech Computer will sell its own-brand third-generation mobile phone HTC Vogue in the U.S. through telecommunications operator Sprint Nextel as soon as the end of September or early October, HTC spokesman Hui-ming Cheng said Monday.

The product, HTC's first own-brand phone to be sold in the U.S., will also carry Sprint Nextel's brand, said Cheng.

HTC, the world's largest contract manufacturer of mobile phones using Microsoft Corp.'s operating system by shipments, has been trying to grow its own-brand products.

The company began selling HTC Touch, a phone that uses similar touch screen technology as Apple's iPhone, in June in Europe and Asia.

"As (HTC Vogue) is a modification from the 2G version of HTC Touch, it's being released later," said Cheng.

HTC had said in June it would launch its own mobile-phone models in the U.S. in the second half.

-By Wei Yi Lim, Dow Jones Newswires, 88622 502-3001, weiyi.lim@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Posted to the site on 27th August 2007