UTStarcom Cell Phones

When it comes time to consider a new smartphone, UTStarcom cell phones may not be the first products to come to mind. You may be more interested in the ubiquitous BlackBerry or maybe a Palm Treo, but that's not to say that UTStarcom doesn't have some decent offerings to appease your touchscreen telephony needs. They've even got a good batch of entry-level mobile phones that will appeal to the "no frills needed" user. Check out some of these UTStarcom Cell Phones below.

UTStarcom: A Brief History

UTStarcom was formed in 1995 when UniTech and Starcom merged. They are perhaps better known for their VoIP (voice over IP, or "internet" phone) solutions, especially those conforming to the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard, rather than the slightly better known Skype service. The UTStarcom F1000 is a Wi-Fi enabled handset designed for VoIP, and it is resold by a number of service providers like SIPGate, BroadVoice and PeopleCall.

Although UTStarcom (official company website) is officially based out of Alameda, California, many of their key officials and offices are overseas. More specifically, the company has a very prominent presence in China, as well as in Korea and India. The UTStarcom cell phone business has grown substantially since November 1, 2004 when they purchased the cell phone subsidiary of Audiovox known as Audiovox Communications Corporation.

Much of their cell phone focus is on handsets using CDMA-based networks.

The UTStarcom PPC6700

This is perhaps the best known UTStarcom handset out there. Powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition, this Pocket PC Smartphone comes loaded with plenty of functionality, including a full suite of Windows Mobile software. The touchscreen interface makes using this handset an absolute breeze, but when it comes time to input some text, the slide-out QWERTY keyboard certainly comes in handy. The built-in camera captures 1.3 megapixels of imaging goodness, featuring flash and macro functions, as well as video capture. Other key features include Bluetooth, speakerphone, photo caller ID, integrated MP3 player, vibrating alert, and polyphonic ringtones.

Several mobile network operators carry this lesser-known handset, including Verizon Wireless, Alltel Wireless, Sprint-Nextel, and Telus Mobility. Pricing at the time this article was written ranges from $100 to $270, depending on your service plan, contract length, mobile provider, and so on.

UTStarcom Cell Phones

Unlike the Vertu sub-brand of Nokia or the mouth-watering nature of certain Samsung Cell Phones, UTStarcom Cell Phones are clearly targeted at the lower end of the market. They typically don't boast the latest and most powerful features, opting more for simple, straightforward designs and a "no bells or whistles" spec sheet. Here are a few examples of their budget-friendly offerings.

Note: Prices are accurate at time of original posting. Please check with your local service provider to confirm availability and pricing.

• UTStarcom 860: A no nonsense candybar with about as affordable a price as it gets, the 860 can be had for $0 (yes, free) if you sign a one, two, or three-year contract with Telus Mobility. Nothing to floor you here, but you do get a 0.3 megapixel camera (VGA), internal antenna, text messaging, downloadable ringtones, and a 65k color display. The red accents give it a touch of personality too.

• UTStarcom Slice: Available through Virgin Mobile, the "Slice" (also known as the PCS-1400) is a razor-thin candybar phone with styling reminiscent of the Motorola SLVR. They've skimped on the features however, with a complete lack of a camera or Bluetooth. Instead, you get 32MB of internal memory, a speakerphone, and a slick looking keypad. On the plus side, it's very affordable at just $50.

• UTStarcom CDM-180: It's not the skinniest phone on the block, but the CDM-180 has got to be one of the most compact packages out there. They've squashed the proportions to provide a 1.2-inch TFT display that is squinty-eyed, landscape-oriented, and boasts 262k color. The CMOS VGA cam isn't the best, but the retractable antenna might help you get better reception.