ZTE reports global terminal sales volume increased 50% to 90 million units in 2010

ZTE, a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, has announced its total annual sales volume of terminal products jumped nearly 50% to a record number of 90 million units in 2010.

ZTE’s terminal product sales experienced rapid growth in both international and domestic markets. By 2010, the growth in both local and high-end overseas markets such as Japan, France, the UK and U.S. had become the main source of demand for ZTE handsets, it says. The fastest-growing market was in Europe, where year-on-year sales volume growth reached 150%. The U.S. market achieved year-on-year growth of 100%.  

ZTE was also ranked the No.1 Chinese vendors in terms of 3G handset sales volume, according to a research report by market research firm iSuppli. The report also noted that ZTE is leading China’s incremental market for 3G systems with an 11% share and is ranked No. 1 in the TD market with a 21% market share.

The increasing presence of Chinese manufacturers can be attributed in part to the growing popularity of the Android mobile platform, which has created new opportunities for Chinese vendors, including ZTE. ZTE has also won major tenders from leading Chinese operators, enabling the company to quickly become a leading player in China’s mainstream 3G handset market.

iSuppli noted that 3G Smartphones priced at below RMB1000 are popular among Chinese consumers — a segment in which ZTE is exceptionally strong. For example, the price of ZTE’s N600 Android 3G Smartphone is under RMB1000, allowing ZTE to secure a record 80%, or 240,000, of the 300,000 units to be purchased by China Telecom.

Globally, the rapid adoption of high-end Smartphones further promoted the ZTE brand across virtually all markets. ZTE’s bestselling Blade Smartphone model (known as V880 in China) has been made available in more than 20 high-end markets including the UK, France, Germany, Finland, Norway, Turkey, Hungary and Japan. Demand was so strong that the product sold out by the first weekend after its launch in Germany, Greece and Hungary. Monthly sales unit volume continued to grow and was up by tens of thousands, says ZTE.