Pantech has announced the launch of its new Pantech Hero mobile phone for new US MVNO Helios. The Pantech Hero's features are reasonably good, but nothing close to some of the features of Pantech phones sold in Korea.

Helios is a new MVNO formed by US ISP EarthLink inc. and Korean telecoms firm SK Telecom. The aim, according to a recent Wired article, was to create a new MVNO in the US that would provide cutting edge phones with features comparable to the latest Korean technological monsters. However, the specs of the Hero are only average at best. Check out the specs of the latest Korean phones, then compare and contrast with the Hero's features:

• Dimensions: 4.3 in x 1.9 in x 1 in
• Weight: 4.73 ounces
• Battery talk time: Up to 3 hours
• Display: 2.2 in, 3:4, QVGA TFT LCD, 240 x 320 pixel, 262K colors
• Memory: 70 MB and external memory via T-flash
• Band: CDMA 1xEV-DO 800/1900MHz
• Talk Time: Up to 3 hrs/Standby time: Up to 8 days
• Camera: 2 mega pixel, 4x digital zoom, built-in flash
• Video camera: MPEG 4
• Audio: Built-in dual full duplex speakers
• MP3, MPEG 4/H.264 player
• VOD, MMS, mobile flash
• Caller ID
• T9 Text
• Voice memo recorder

I call that disappointing. Helios will have to do better than that if it wants technology to be the key differentiator between its service and the legion of other MVNOs currently emerging.