Samsung announced record sales in its Telecommunications business for the quarter to 30 September 2011, which it said was “driven by strong sales of Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.”

The company’s handset shipments rose more than 20 percent quarter-on-quarter, with smartphone sales up 40 percent quarter-on-quarter and 300 percent year-on-year. In the five months since its launch, the flagship Galaxy SII smartphone has seen shipments of more than 10 million.

For the Telecommunications division, Samsung announced a record operating profit for the quarter, at KRW2.52 trillion (US$2.28 billion), more than double year-on-year, on revenue of KRW14.90 trillion, up 37 percent. Revenue from the mobile business was KRW14.42 trillion, up 39 percent.

Samsung has stopped giving shipment numbers for its devices business, citing competitive issues. According to figures from research firm Strategy Analytics, the company is now the number one smartphone maker, with its shipments of 28 million well ahead of the 17.1 million for second placed Apple, and number two in the overall handset market, with its 88 million shipments behind Nokia’s 106.6 million, but comfortably ahead of LG Electronics’ 21.1 million.

In its networks unit, Samsung said that sales and profitability improved year-on-year, due to the expansion of its 4G LTE business and 3G network upgrades.

Looking forward, it said that it expects strong seasonal demand to drive sales in the fourth quarter of 2011, led by sales of its “diverse portfolio of smartphones” including new premium devices such as the Galaxy Nexus smartphone (pictured) and Galaxy Note handheld, which is “opening a new mobile device category.” It also said that strong demand in developed countries will sustain tablet growth in the quarter.

It expects strong network sales growth, with expansion of its LTE business in North America and Asia, as well as its 3G network upgrade business globally.