Pantech Wireless, Inc. (PWI), formed in 2002, is the North American subsidiary of Pantech, one of Korea’s three largest mobile phone manufacturers.
Background PWI has created Wireless products for major North American carriers including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel and Virgin Mobile.
Benchmark handsets created by PWI for the North American market include the popular line of dual-sliding, double-keyboard devices such as the Pantech duo, Matrix, and Pantech Matrix Pro smartphone. PWI also manufactures Slate, “world’s thinnest phone with a QWERTY keyboard,” and C3b, “the world’s smallest camera flip-phone.” Additionally, PWI created the Breeze, a handset that utilizes the principles of Universal Design, which are a set of guidelines that ensure consumer electronics products are of optimal ease of use for customers of all ages, and those with disabilities.
Products North America Product Name Date Carrier Hero May 2006 Helio DM-P100 Apr., 2006 Disney Mobile C300 Jun., 2006 AT&T PN-218 Aug., 2006 Alltel Wireless C120 Oct., 2006 AT&T C3 Nov., 2006 AT&T Ocean Feb., 2007 Helio C3b May, 2007 AT&T DM-P205 May, 2007 Disney Mobile C150 Jul., 2007 AT&T Pantech duo Oct., 2007 AT&T Pantech duo (red) Feb., 2008 AT&T Breeze May, 2008 AT&T C610 Oct., 2008 AT&T Matrix Oct., 2008 AT&T Slate Oct., 2008 AT&T C630 Dec., 2008 AT&T Ocean 2 Feb., 2009 Virgin Mobile Matrix PRO Feb., 2009 AT&T Breeze (black) Feb., 2009 AT&T Link Apr., 2010 AT&T Breeze II May, 2010 AT&T Pursuit Jun., 2010 AT&T Ease Jun., 2010 AT&T Laser Oct., 2010 AT&T Crossover Jun., 2011 AT&T Breeze III Jul., 2011 AT&T Pursuit II Jul., 2011 AT&T
Pantech Company Timeline 1991: Established Pantech Co., Ltd 2002: Established Pantech Wireless, Inc. (PWI) in North America 2003: Formed a J/V – Dalian Daxian Pantech Communications Co, Ltd in Dalian, China 2003: Company begins developing Pantech branded products 2004: Pantech debuts first GSM handset with fingerprint recognition 2005: Acquired SK Teletech owning SKY brand, the most upscale premium brand in Korea 2005: First entered Japan market among Korean handset makers delivering 1st model to KDDI 2006: First PWI branded device, PN-218, offered through Alltell 2006: PWI launches C300, “world’s smallest camera flip phone,” with AT&T 2006: PWI manufacturers Ocean, first dual-sliding, double keyboard handset, created for Helio 2008: Slate, “world’s thinnest phone with a QWERTY keyboard,” created for AT&T 2009: Launched Breeze, an easy-to-use and “top performing” handset for AT&T 2009: Launched ‘Matrix Pro’, a dual sliding smart phone for AT&T 2010: Launched Impact, Pantech's first haptic, dual key-board 3G Quick Messaging phone for AT&T 2010: Launched Reveal, a slider with simultaneous numeric and QWERTY keypad 3G Quick Messaging phone for AT&T 2010: Link, Pantech's ultra-slim and sleek messaging phone launches at AT&T 2010: Launched Breeze II, the successor to the Breeze, easy-to-use handset for AT&T 2010: Pursuit launches for AT&T as Pantech's first phone with touchscreen 2010: Launched Pantech Ease, the first simplicity-centric phone for AT&T with keyboard and touchscreen 2010: Laser, AT&T's thinnest phone with sliding keyboard, is launched 2011: Crossover, Pantech's first Android smartphone in the U.S., is launched 2011: 20th Anniversary of Pantech Wireless, Inc., U.S.-based subsidiary of Pantech Group 2011: Pantech announces exclusive handset sponsorship of Dew Tour 2011: Pantech announces sponsorship of Dew Tour Pro Athletes, Bucky Lasek, Brett Banasiewicz, Greg Lutzka, Ryan Devenzo 2011: Inaugural Pantech Open in Ocean City, MD for Dew Tour Action Sports Competition
Awards 1995: Pantech creates the world’s first CDMA product 2005: Pantech honored with the Best Mobile Phone Application distinction at the Asian Mobile News Award 2005, 2006, 2007: Pantech receives seven iF Design awards and four red dot Design awards for excellence and innovation in mobile phone design 2007: Pantech’s IM-U200 (Korean market) awarded ‘Best of Innovation’ at CES International
References
External links
Pantech Slate C530 (AT&T) – PC Magazine Pantech Matrix – TestFreaks Pantech Breeze - white (AT&T) – CNET Pantech's North American Offensive – BusinessWeek