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Shanghai Telecom Starts 3G Trial Commercial ServiceBEIJING, Mar 16, 2009 (SinoCast Daily Business Beat via COMTEX) -- Shanghai Telecom started the trial commercial use of 3G business on March 16, 2009. Shanghai Telecom General Manager Zhang Weihua said that the unit would spend more than CNY 6 billion on business deployment for the upcoming World Expo, 3G network construction, Asia-Pacific information hub, and small- and medium-sized companies' informationzation in 2009. Of the money, nearly one third will be used to enhance 3G network coverage and establish high-speed mobile Internet network. As of 2009-end, Shanghai Telecom will expand 3G service coverage to the whole city and accomplish upgrading& optimizing 1,600 CDMA base stations, Zhang Linde, deputy general manager of the unit. The integration between fixed network and mobile network is China Telecom's largest advantage, Zhang noted. Shanghai Telecom, the deputy general manager said, has deployed WiFi hotspots in over 4,000 public places and will increase the number to more than 5,000 at the end of this year. The unit got the nod from China Telecom for the CDMA2000 trial commercial use, disclosed insiders. The move indicates that China Telecom is to quicken its plan for 3G network coverage and commercial use. The telecom carrier is scheduled to accomplish CDMA network upgrade in 100 cities on March 15 and finish nationwide 3G network upgrade in cities above the county level before July 30, said persons from China Telecom, adding that the company will be likely to announce the 3G official commercial use in April. Earlier, China Telecom announced a plan to pour CNY 80 billion into 3G network construction within three years. Taking over the CDMA business from China Unicom months ago in accordance with the nation's telecom industry regrouping plan, the telecom operator will need 50 million CDMA terminals this year, including 40% 3G mobile phones. Moreover, it will strive to lure 35 million new CDMA users this year and increase the number of its mobile phone subscribers to over 100 million by 2010. China Telecom recently ended its procurement of 1.2 million customized 3G mobile phones with seven types in total. The successful bidders were Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Samsung, LG, and Yulong Computer Telecommunication Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Yulong Telecommunication). Priced between CNY 2,500 and CNY 6,500, the mobile phones support lots of valued-added services and GPS navigation function. About two thirds of the mobile phone models are domestic brands and one third are overseas well-established brands. (USD 1 = CNY 6.84) Source: dycj.ynet.com (March 16, 2009) |