ZTE USA, a U.S.-based subsidiary of Chinese handset vendor ZTE, has announced the general availability of its first handset for the U.S. market, the ZTE C88. ZTE is billing the C88 as “a cost-effective option for consumers who want a high quality, full featured handset at an affordable price point.” The handset is now available through all MetroPCS stores, Website and resellers in all markets the carrier serves, pricing ranges from $129 to $149 depending on promotions.

The C88 flip phone includes a 2-inch color screen, WAP browser, Bluetooth, digital camera and 60 MB of internal storage. The handset also comes preloaded with MetroPCS’s mobile e-mail, search and IM applications.

“The C88 as our first handset for the U.S. market is a major milestone for ZTE,” said Dr. George Sun, CEO of ZTE USA, in a statement. “The C88 handset demonstrates our ability to align our products with the U.S. market’s needs.  Consumers will find that the C88 offers the perfect mix of affordability, quality and a broad feature set.”