Mobile operators and equipment vendors hope to start commercial operations ahead of 2008 Olympics
Chinese mobile-phone operators and equipment vendors such as ZTE Corp and Datang Mobile, which are struggling to introduce a home-grown third-generation network before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hope to complete a trial by October that may lead to a commercial launch by next year, according to market watchers.
The parent firm of Hong-Kong-listed China Mobile, the mainland's biggest mobile operator, had run the most successful trials on the domestic TD-SCDMA, with 95 out of 100 base stations built in the test city Xiamen now operational, Vincent Dong, an analyst with researcher Norson Analysis, said.
The state-owned parent of Hong-Kong-listed fixed-line carrier China Telecom is testing in Baoding, south of Beijing, while rival China Netcom Group's parent is testing in Qinqdao, Shandong province. The results of the trials expected to influence the government when it issues as many as three 3G licences, at least one of which will be for TC-SCDMA.
'Based on this progress, licensing will happen before the technology matures to commercial readiness, which means early 2007,' said Mr Dong.
The government has pledged to have 3G networks up and running in time for the Beijing Olympics, when the technology will help international media companies and visitors transmit video and other data concerning events faster than with the country's existing mobile-phone systems.
