U.S. wireless operator Sprint PCS said Monday that it will use third-generation (3G) phones from Hitachi when it launches its 3G service nationwide later this year.
The company has said that it expects to launch 3G1X 3G service over its entire wireless network in mid-2002. While some U.S. carriers such as AT&T wireless are launching 3G service based on GSM technology, which is widely used in Europe, Sprint’s next-generation service will be based on CDMA technology, which has been widely adopted in North America.
The Hitachi phones will support Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME), Sprint said in a statement.
Sprint previously had committed to Java technology for its next-generation technology. The company said Monday that Java will enable it to offer a wider range of applications that take advantage of the faster speeds of 3G service.