HK mobile industry readies for 3G China
HK mobile industry readies for 3g china Even as the timing for Beijing to issue a 3G licence remains a billion-dollar question generating much speculation, industry group Wireless Technology Industry Association (WTIA) has taken the first step to prepare Hong Kong mobile players to tap into the lucrative industry.
The association is expected to launch a platform for China's homegrown 3G technology
TD-SCDMA next month. The standard is widely expected to back the first licence, to be issued this year.
The group is awaiting approval from the telecoms watchdog Ofta to use spectrum to conduct applications trials.
According to Anthony Tang, director of Hong Kong Wireless Development Centre under WTIA, one-third of the estimated $20-million project will be funded by Hong Kong government. The rest will be contributed by the industry, with most of the network gear provided by Datang Mobile.
The initiative will see a cell site being established at the Wireless Development Centre at Cyberport. It will provide mobile operators, content providers and applications developers with a platform on which they can test their solutions.