Motorola yesterday unveiled six new handset models as SA`s mobile community prepares for 3G roll-out and adoption.
The company will launch two high-tier models and four mid-tier models over the coming months, says Motorola project manager Brian Burns. The phones will cost between R2 500 and R6 000.
"Only a couple of the models will be available in December, with the rest following by February."
The costs will decrease as the economies of scale kick in, adds Burns.
The phones will offer increased functionality and are designed for business people or those who want to send and receive large amounts of data, says Burns. "You will, for example, be able to stream real-time news feeds to your phone and make point-to-point video calls internationally."
While the increased functionality is a welcome addition, it does create a concern in terms of battery life, says Burns. Users can expect approximately 150 hours standby time, but the video call function is particularly energy-sapping, he says. "You will probably be able to use it for 90 minutes before the battery goes flat."
In terms of call charges, users should not expect too much of a nasty surprise, as the networks will pursue this market aggressively, says Stefano Mattiello, Motorola regional sales director for Sub-Saharan Africa.
"In terms of data, they want to come in and compete with offerings like ADSL, and so on. This is an area where the prices are already standardised to a degree. Also, they want to be able to take consumers off of them, so charges will be competitive."
Because the 3G network is limited to a specific area, Burns says all 3G phones will be able to transfer seamlessly to a 2G network.
Burns believes 2005 will see mass adoption of 3G internationally, although SA will still be in the early adoption phase. He predicts local mass adoption in 2008.
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