Wireless communications giant Ericsson AB on Tuesday announced successful demonstrations of mobile phones that can hand off between GSM (global system for mobility) and third-generation WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) networks, without dropping the call.

The Stockholm-based company performed the demonstration for two overseas carriers using test units from the Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications wireless phones division.

Power consumption on the test units was equal to that of existing GSM-only handsets, according to officials. They did not say when such phones would be readily available on the market.

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