Huawei Technologies' new Ideos smartphone is being evaluated by U.S. mobile phone service providers and the handset could show up in U.S. markets before the end of the year, according to reports from a German trade show where the Ideos was introduced this week. Already established as a major telecommunications infrastructure equipment manufacturer, Huawei is expecting to use the Ideos to enter various global handset markets.

The handset is based on Google's Android 2.2 operating system, and the 2.8-inch touch screen handset features a 3G USB modem. The 3G Ideos also sports a 3.2 mega-pixel camera and built-in GPS capability. The handset's 500-MHz processor has 512 MB of onboard memory and supports Wi-Fi. Although the handset is an advanced design, it is likely to be priced below $200 in U.S. markets.

One possible provider could be T-Mobile USA, which has offered Huawei products in the past including T-Mobile's Tap phone, which didn't feature the Huawei brand.

"It's safe to assume we're talking to all of the major carriers," said Jannie Luong Nguyen, a Huawei spokesperson.

In the past, Huawei had a partnership with 3Com for networking infrastructure products, although its status with 3Com changed when HP acquired 3Com earlier this year.

Last month, however, startup Amerilink Telecom Corp. of Overland Park, Kansas, said it plans to represent Huawei in the U.S.. Amerilink was formed by a group of former Sprint executives including Kevin Packingham, who had been senior vice president of product technology development at Sprint. Packingham left Sprint in mid-August. Amerilink has said it plans to represent international telecommunications providers in entering North American markets.

Huawei has been gearing up slowly with a group of Android phones, although none have been introduced in the U.S. To date the company has introduced at least nine Android smartphones in China, and South Africa as well as in Europe.

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