China Telecom, which recently acquired the CDMA network from China Unicom plans to launch its own 3G upgraded service in 100 cities within the next three months, as it tries to catch up with China Mobile's already operational 3G network.
China Telecom vice-president Zhang Jiping told local media that the firm would be able to upgrade its existing CDMA network to a CDMA2000 3G grade service within the three months it has set itself. The 3G upgrade will cover the entire Beijing area - unlike China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network which is limited to the central business area and ex-Olympics grounds in the capital city.
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) minister Li Yizhong recently said that the networks are expected to spend as much as US$41 billion over the next two years building out their 3G networks - or upgrading their existing infrastructure. The development of the 3G networks could lead to US$290 billion in private-sector investment in the next two or three years, said Chen Jinqiao, deputy chief engineer of the MIIT's telecommunications research institute.
China Unicom is understood to have already rolled out a WCDMA network in seven cities including Shenzhen, Dongguan and Zhengzhou - with a commercial launch expected in May.
Posted to the site on 13th January 2009
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/35479.php