MTS Orders NEC i-mode Handsets

The largest mobile operator in Russia, Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), has signed an agreement to buy 40,000 mobile handsets from NEC Infocommunications, a subsidiary of Japan’s NEC. The handsets will be delivered by July, according to a press release by NEC Infocommunications, without disclosing the financial details of the deal. Prime-Tass reports that NEC will supply six models of handsets - N412i, N343i, N411i, which all support i-mode function, and e121, e1101 and e540.

MTS launched i-mode services in September 2005. MTS, in cooperation with Russian consumer electronics retailer Svyaznoi, planned to sign up over 150,000 i-mode users within the first six months of operation, but they have not reported any actual figures yet. MTS’ subscriber base stood at 60.31 million people as of February 28, including 45.45 million people in Russia. Via: cellular-news.com