KDDI Corp., Japan’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, will procure handsets with high-speed Internet access capabilities from South Korea’s Pantech Co. to reduce costs. Pantech, South Korea’s third-largest mobile-phone maker, will offer 3G handsets to KDDI by the end of the year, KDDI spokesman Haruhiko Maede said, confirming a report today in the Nihon Keizai newspaper.

Pantech’s high-speed phones will be priced “considerably below” 10,000 yen, ($89.15), compared with 9,000 yen to 14,000 yen for current KDDI phones, the Nikkei said. Maede declined to comment on Nikkei’s figure, calling it “speculation.”

“This move is part of our strategy to keep costs down before the number portability system is implemented next year,” he said. “We’re basically open to the idea of procuring handsets from other overseas companies if there is a good offer.” Continue

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