Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson has unveiled its first mobile phone using the Bluetooth wireless technology.

The Bluetooth technology provides wireless connections between the phone and other electronic devices such as computers.

For example, if a computer is equipped with a Bluetooth PC card, data can be transferred from the mobile phone to the computer.

The company has also produced a personal computer card using the Bluetooth wireless technology.

"This means Ericsson is the first company to have a complete portfolio of voice and data products that use Bluetooth wireless technology," Ericsson said.

Chinese version

Ericsson also said the phone would provide a low-cost way of linking mobile computers and phones and offering internet connections.

Ericsson will launch the new phone on the market in the fourth quarter of this year. A Chinese version of the phone will also be launched, which will enable customers to send and receive messages with Chinese characters.

The phone can be used in Europe, Asia/Pacific and in the Americas.

The new phone will be WAP-enabled, allowing the user to hook up to the net with their phone, sending and receiving data at high speed.

Showing that the Bluetooth product is really the latest in telecommunications technology, consumers can use voice recognition to use their phone.

They can use voice dialling and answering, voice commands to use the phone's menu system. The phone can also record and store voice commands in the phone's memory.

Bluetooth is expected to be widely used throughout the home, where it could operate a range of electronic devices.