As a Telstra CDMA Pre-paid customer, I am quite interested in what Telstra is going to offer in the Next G pre-paid service.

Unfortunately though, Telstra has been quite secretive to the public until recently about when the first instalment of phones will be released. Dealers on the other hand haven’t, and some have posted on Whirlpool about the impending launch (original the 14/5/07 but is now pushed back (and confirmed by Telstra via email) to the 24/5/07) and also the phones that will be at launch (ZTE 256 and the LG TU500).

Telstra though is not letting any of the information appear on their website yet though of the handsets. The ZTE 256 details are quite secretive (and even dealers on Whirlpool haven’t figured it out, let alone where I work only has details on the LG TU500 on pre-paid).

Telstra’s secretiveness has failed though for this as well, as I have stumbled onto the information at Dick Smith’s Website (silver - black - links may not work depending on the DSE site). Full details from both phone colours for the ZTE 256 is after the break (as well as two pictures from the DSE site). Silver

• 1.3 Megapixel swivel camera with 2x digital zoom
• Integrated MP3 player
• MP3 and polyphonic Ringtones
• 262k colour display
• Bluetooth wireless technology
• Up to 64MB user allocated internal memory
• Hands free speaker phone
• Person to Person Video Calling
• Video Messaging
• BigPond Mobile Services
• Picture Messaging (MMS) capability
• Mobile to PC Video Calling
• Email
• Mobile Internet capability
• Polyphonic Ringtones
• Integrated MP3 Player
• GPRS capability
• Vibrating Alert
• Dimensions: 98 x 49 x 19mm
• Weight: 125g
• Talk Time: 180 mins
• Standby Time: 200 hrs
• Great coverage on Telstra’s network and in selected overseas destinations
• FOXTELâ„¢ by Mobile
• BigPond on your Mobile
• Sensis® Search
• BigPond Photos
• My Account – View and pay your Telstra Bills
• Whereis® Maps
• BigBlogâ„¢

$249

Black

• 1.3 Megapixel swivel camera with 2x digital zoom
• Integrated MP3 player
• MP3 and polyphonic Ringtones
• 262k colour display
• Bluetooth wireless technology
• Up to 64MB user allocated internal memory
• Hands free speaker phone
• Person to Person Video Calling
• Video Messaging
• BigPond Mobile Services
• Picture Messaging (MMS) capability
• Mobile to PC Video Calling
• Email
• Mobile Internet capability
• Polyphonic Ringtones
• Integrated MP3 Player
• GPRS capability
• Vibrating Alert
• Dimensions: 98 x 49 x 19mm
• Weight: 125g
• Talk Time: 180 mins
• Standby Time: 200 hrs
• Great coverage on Telstra’s network and in selected overseas destinations
• FOXTELâ„¢ by Mobile
• BigPond on your Mobile
• Sensis® Search
• BigPond Photos
• My Account – View and pay your Telstra Bills
• Whereis® Maps
• BigBlogâ„¢

$249

As you can see, there isn’t not much difference, if any, between the two. They also seem quite similar to the ZTE 252 that can be seen at ZTE’s website. UPDATE: Only difference according to SifuDean from ZTE (a member on Whirlpool forums) is that the ZTE 256 is locked to the Telstra network.

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