The F866 was ZTE's first 3G mobile to go on sale in Europe. It was sold in partnership with UK network operator 3 and was an affordable pre-pay 3G handset.
It was described at launch as “a stylish clamshell handset” and included a rotating camera, and support for 3's full range of communications and entertainment services, including MP3 audio and video streaming. Notably, the handset featured a dedicated “TV” button.
The handset followed ZTE being named as a preferred global handset supplier to the 3 Group of companies and marked ZTE’s first entry into the European mobile phone market.