Cingular halts 3G phones sales in 2G markets

Operators typically seed the market with 3G phones prior to launching service in a particular region, but the move has apparently backfired for Cingular Wireless. It has reversed its decision to launch UMTS phones ahead of the network build-out in areas where it offers EDGE technology and is offering an extended return policy through June 30 for customers who've already purchased the phone. Apparently, customers discovered Cingular Video, which was specifically designed for UMTS data speeds. The use resulted in a flood of support calls for poor video quality.

To read more about Cingular's decision to pull its 3G phones out of EDGE markets:
- read this article from engadget iMobile