CDMA handset pushes envelope on size, weight for flip-up models

Mobile Phone News, July 21, 1997

The SCH-300 phone, which became available today in South Korea, weighs 142 grams and measures a mere 124 millimeters (mm) by 45 mm by 25 mm.

Although Korea remains the leading global CDMA market in terms of numbers of subscribers, Samsung does not intend for the SCH-300 to be strictly for domestic consumption. "[W]e expect it will play an important role in spreading the use of Korean-made mobile telecommunications products in world markets," said Sang-hyun Lee, a Samsung senior managing director and chief of the company's domestic sales division.

Operating features of the SCH-300 include a "gold connecting double antenna," which Samsung said transmits the selected frequency without any resistance, and "frequency channel search software," which automatically seeks out and connects with the radio link providing optimal reception. The company engineered these features into the handset in light of Korea's mountainous terrain and highly congested urban areas.

The SCH-300's power-saving circuit design and a high-performance lithium ion battery provide up to six hours of talk time on digital mode or as many as 100 hours on standby.

Enjoying good success in the CDMA handset market, Samsung said it achieved sales of 950,000 handheld phones in Korea and exported an additional 150,000 units during the first half of 1997 - yielding total sales of $700 million.

P.S. Questions or comments? Call Mike Maynard, editor of the supplement, at 301/340-7788, ext. 2860.