Orange due to release own-branded Barcelona phone with Android 2.2 in UK

Orange UK has announced a brand new budget Android phone coming exclusively to their network, the Orange Barcelona.

Following on from the successful full touchscreen Orange San Francisco phone, the network has decided to release a touchscreen and QWERTY mashup phone in the form of the Barcelona.

Manufactured by Chinese firm Huawei, the Barcelona features both a 2.6-inch TFT touchscreen and a full Blackberry-style QWERTY keyboard. It also runs on Android 2.2 (FroYo) software, bringing apps from the Market and Google Maps on a budget.

The Orange Barcelona will set you back just £119.99 on a pay as you go basis, along with a £20 top-up. You’ll also be able to sign up for a 24 month contract and get the handset for £15 per month plus, depending on your choice of tariff.

For your money you’ll also get a 3.2MP camera, 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, video calling, UMA (boost your signal using Wi-Fi) and Orange’s exclusive HD Voice, meaning you’ll get crystal clear audio quality on voice calls.

At the moment there hasn’t been an official release date set, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as soon as we hear from Orange.

Is the Orange Barcelona the budget Android mobile phone you’ve been looking for? Tell us why by tweeting us @Gadget_Helpline.