ZTE, a leading global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, on Tuesday launched the company’s first single-chip LTE smartphone, the Grand X LTE (T82), at CommunicAsia2012.

The Grand X LTE (T82) will be available in Asia Pacific and Europe in third quarter 2012.

The Grand X LTE (T82) phone uses the latest MSM8960 chip from Qualcomm, which is based on advanced 0.28nm technology. When compared to most phone models available in the marketplace, the single-chip model is faster and more energy efficient.

The Grand X LTE (T82) is WiFi capable and uses Android 4.0. It has a 1.5 GHz dual-core CPU, an 8 mega-pixel main camera that supports 1080p HD video shooting and playback and a front camera that supports 720p HD video calls. The phone has a maximum download rate of 100M, and a 1900mAh large-capacity battery. The Grand X LTE (T82) also has a unique buttonless design resembling a mini tablet PC.

“We are the first company to use the single-chip solution in a handset,” said He Shiyou, Executive Vice President, and Head of the Terminal Handset Division, ZTE. “The Grand series products are our high end flagship offerings this year. ZTE aims to enhance its profile in the high-end market with the Grand series of smart terminals.”

In addition to the Grand X LTE (T82), ZTE is also displaying other LTE products at CommunicAsia. These include the V96A LTE tablet; the world’s first TD-LTE/EDGE multi-band UFi product, the MF91; and the MF821 LTE wireless network card.

The V96A will be available in Europe and Asia Pacific in third quarter 2012.

ZTE began investing heavily in LTE devices in 2008. The company now holds 7 per cent of all global LTE patents among vendors. In addition, ZTE recently won the Best LTE Device Award at the LTE World Summit 2012, the highest industry honor in that field. All ZTE LTE terminal products displayed at CommunicAsia2012 will also appear at the Mobile Asia Expo 2012 on June 20-22 in Shanghai.

“The telecommunications sector is changing rapidly,” said He. “LTE is growing very fast in Asia and ZTE emphasizes technological development in this area. We believe 4G communications provides a tremendous opportunity for the telecommunications industry in Asia.”