In the wake of Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications’ retreat from the CDMA mobile-phone business, Verizon Wireless and Sprint PCS are re-evaluating their plans to sell Sony Ericsson’s newly released CDMA phones.
A spokeswoman for Sony Ericsson said the two main CDMA carriers in the United States are currently re-evaluating whether they will sell the company’s new T608 and T606 phones. She said the carriers would likely decide on the issue in the next few days.
Verizon said it would not comment on forthcoming phones, and Sprint did not return a call for comment.
Christopher Ambrosio, director of wireless device strategies for research firm Strategy Analytics, said the carriers would likely not sell the Sony Ericsson phones unless Sony Ericsson offered a deep discount to move the devices. Such a discount could cost Sony Ericsson tens of millions of dollars, Ambrosio said. Overall, Ambrosio said Sony Ericsson’s CDMA retreat means nothing but trouble for the company.
“The damage this can do to current and future carrier relationships should not be underestimated,” he said. “SEMC has some product design talent, but is beginning to look like a sheep in the blizzard of the wireless market, and this does not spell good things for SEMC participation in the market long term.”
Sony Ericsson released its T606 and T608 phones in March. The T608 was the first CDMA phone to include Bluetooth technology.
