Sony Ericsson unveils GPRS/3G phone

Sony Ericsson used the second day of this week's 3GSM World Congress in Cannes to show off a dual-mode GPRS and 3G handset that can make live two-way video calls.

The idea of a joint GPRS/3G offering is to provide a steady upgrade path, with less bandwidth-hungry applications like email being delivered using GPRS, and interactive games and video using the 3G mode.

The bandwidth used by the handset will depend on the network of the operator. Speeds of 384Kbps were used by BT in mobile video trials on the Isle of Man.

Sony Ericsson president Katsumi Ihara said that the Z1010 handset would be available from the second half of this year, and would be aimed at the first testers of 3G technology on operator networks in Europe and elsewhere.

Jan Wäreby, head of sales and marketing at Sony Ericsson, said: "2003 will be the year when the industry will have to focus heavily on interoperability and standardisation in order to launch attractive 3G services and applications."

The company also announced a new systems integration deal with IBM to help businesses adopt the latest Sony Ericsson products.

Ihara acknowledged that many companies are not confident about integrating mobile technology into their back-end systems, particularly when it comes to security and device management.

IBM will now offer to support these needs through its wireless e-business division.