Telecom New Zealand has announced that it will provide a global roaming solution with the launch of a WorldMode CDMA/GSM mobile phone.

In a deal with mobile phone manufacturer Samsung, Telecom will offer customers a phone with the ability to use CDMA domestically but roam on either CDMA or GSM networks when travelling overseas.

While in New Zealand the mobile will operate solely on Telecom’s CDMA network, making use of Telecom’s T3G services, and when abroad the phone will switch to GSM reception in markets where CDMA is not available.

The mobile operator says the new handset can potentially give New Zealanders the ability to seamlessly communicate across over 300 networks worldwide.

According to Telecom’s General Manager Consumer Marketing, Kevin Bowler, the phone will offer Telecom customers first class roaming capability around the world. He also confirmed the launch of the company's CDMA EV-DO Rev A upgrade will start before Christmas 2006.

Telecom is targeting early 2007 for release of phase one of the WorldMode phone following testing that is underway currently. This will be the first of a range of WorldMode phones to be progressively released over the course of 2007.