Telefonica (TEF) Wins Exclusive Right To Sell The Palm (PALM) Pre

Today, Telefónica (NYSE: TEF) announced a deal to be the exclusive mobile phone network in four European countries for the Palm (Nasdaq: PALM) Pre, according to the Financial Times

The deal is a score for Telefonica, which beat off interest in the Pre from European rivals such as Vodafone (NYSE: VOD).

Telefónica will be the exclusive mobile network for the Pre in Germany, Spain, the UK and Ireland. The phone will likely to go on sale in these European countries in early October.

Matthew Key, head of Telefónica’s European businesses outside of Spain, said the company would use the Pre to strengthen its position in Germany. Telefónica’s German mobile business trails in third place, behind Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT) and Vodafone.

Key told the Financial Times, that he wants Telefónica to be known as the "home of the smartphone".

Currently, the Palm Pre competes with Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone and Research In Motion's (Nasdaq: RIMM) Blackberry in the United States.

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