Taiwan-based BenQ and High Tech Computer (HTC) are speeding up the respective launch of their HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) phones, with BenQ expected to deliver its first HSDPA phone, the EF91, to T-Mobile in July and HTC to begin shipping its model, codenamed Muse, to Qtek (Model S300) in the third quarter, according to market sources.
BenQ previously indicated that it planned to launch the EF91 in the fourth quarter of this year, according to a previous report. The new schedule may place BenQ ahead of other leading vendors such as Motorola, Nokia and Sony Ericsson for the launch of HSDPA phones, the sources noted.
Both BenQ and HTC will promote their HSDPA phones first in the European market, the sources indicated.
In related news, Jerry Wang, chairman of BenQ Mobile, stated that the company started small volume shipments of its two new 3G handsets, the S81 and EF81, in April, with shipments to start rising in May.
Article translated by Steve Shen and edited by Eric Mah
