Pantech Unveils GSM Phone In U.S.

SEOUL, South Korea — The No. 2 mobile phone maker here, Pantech Group, said its U.S.-based subsidiary Pantech Wireless and Cingular Wireless have unveiled a GSM phone in North America.

Weighing 70.9 grams, the C300 phone includes a VGA camera with flash and zoom, MP3 ringtones, a messaging client and e-mail capability, Pantech said.

Pantech said the GSM flip phone will be the cornerstone of its strategy to increase sales and market share in North America. Pantech said it plans to ramp up U.S. sales by 20 percent in 2006 by increasing direct sales to major U.S. service operators.

Pantech currently supplies handsets to U.S. CDMA provider Verizon and mobile virtual network operators Helio and Disney Mobile. It expects to ship a total of 27 million mobile phones this year valued at $3 billion.