Telefonica has received 300,000 pre registrations in the U.K. and Spain to buy Apple's new third- generation iPhone, a company spokesman said Wednesday.

 The spokesman said customers have been reserving units of the popular handset on the company's Web site since Telefonica announced it would sell the device earlier this month.

Third generation, or 3G, refers to cell phones that are compatible with some of the world's fastest wireless Internet networks.

Telefonica, Spain's largest telecommunications company, already sells the original version of the iPhone in the U.K. and Ireland.

Telefonica will begin selling the 3G iPhone July 11 in Spain, the Czech Republic and twelve Latin American countries.

Analysts say the popular handset will help Telefonica boost cellular revenue as the company faces a potential slowdown in consumer spending in its home Spanish market.

Source:Dow Jones Newswires