A sleek, slim and feature-rich 3G handset, was chosen this year for the GSM Association's "3G for All" campaign by a consortium of the 12 largest mobile operators. LG's new 3G bar-type phone makes it possible for customers to access a wide variety of wireless multimedia services -including video clips, audio files and other content -in less time and at a reasonable price. A supporting external memory slot makes the phone perfect for playing video and music. Its multi-tasking capability also let customers use the phone without turning off the music.

Twelve leading mobile operators have selected a slim, multimedia phone developed by LG Electronics as the winning handset to spearhead the GSM Association's 3G for All campaign, which aims to make third-generation mobile services accessible to a much
wider user base.

By agreeing on a common set of requirements, the 12 operators will enable LG to achieve major economies of scale in manufacturing, logistics and marketing. The LG-KU250 handset will be available at a wholesale price about 30% less than the typical entry-level 3G phone and fully-competitive with the multimedia second-generation handsets on sale today.

Twelve of the largest mobile operators in the world selected the LG-KU250, which is only 15mm thick, from 19 handsets submitted by eight vendors. Containing a chipset supplied by Qualcomm, the handset supports video calls, high-speed Internet access, multi-tasking and a wide range of other multimedia services.

Unveiled to CEOs from across the mobile industry at the Leadership Summit of the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, the LG-KU250 handset will be available to all 3GSM mobile phone operators from the second quarter. 

The 12 operators steering the GSMA programme have also highly commended a 3G handset submitted by Nokia. Also capable of supporting a range of 3G multimedia services, the handset, which is built on the Nokia 6151 platform, uses a Texas Instrument chipset designed to Nokia's specifications.

The 3G for All campaign is the second programme designed by the GSMA to create economies of scale for handset makers and their component suppliers. The GSMA's Emerging Market Handset programme stimulated the development of a range of ultra-low cost mobile phones aimed at first-time buyers in developing countries.