ZTE Tania lacks support from UK mobile operators

CHINESE PHONE MAKER ZTE is launching its first Windows Phone 7 (WP7) handset in the UK but without the backing of major mobile operators.

ZTE is hoping to take the UK by storm this year, starting with the Tania. However, it has only confirmed that Brightpoint, Virgin Media, Go Mobile and "a leading specialist retailer" will sell the phone.

So far O2, Vodafone, Three, Orange, T-Mobile and The Carphone Warehouse have all told us they will not stock the Tania. Phones 4U said that nothing is confirmed yet.

The firm is claiming that the Tania is the "most affordable 4.3in screen Windows Phone on the market". This isn't quite the case because, for example, you can buy the HTC HD7 Windows Phone handset for around £230 online.

Although ZTE hasn't given a release date for the Tania, it is already available for pre-order with Clove. The online retailer has it priced at £249 with a date of 13 February. ZTE said that it will cost between £10 and £20 on a contract.

The Tania will offer a Qualcomm 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage, a 5MP camera and a 4.3in touchscreen with 480x800 resolution.

We saw the phone way back in September and were pleasantly surprised by it. ZTE will probably struggle to sell as many units as it would like without the help of the big retailers and mobile operators.

Wu Sa, director of mobile device operations at ZTE said, "We're delighted to be working with Microsoft and as a key partner will support the industry forecasted growth on this exciting new platform with both the ZTE Tania and in the future a growing range of devices." µ