Experts call for early launch of 3G in China
(Xinhua) Updated: 2006-10-28 13:27
With the launch date for third generation mobile communication (3G) services
in China still unclear, experts have called on the government to issue licenses
quickly so that both operators and manufacturers can benefit.
Spectrum
and capacity advantages will make 3G a valuable tool for providing better and
cheaper rural coverage, thus encouraging operators to expand mobile services to
western and rural areas of China, said Jean-Pierre Bienaime, chairman of UMTS
Forum, at a forum here Friday.
UMTS Forum, which is promoting the
European WCDMA 3G standard, co-organized the China Mobile Broadband
Communications Leadership Seminar with TD-SCDMA Forum, an organization promoting
the Chinese TD-SCDMA standard.
3G's higher voice capacity will mitigate
spectrum availability issues in big cities and help deliver a low cost voice
service, said Bienaime.
After years of rapid growth, China now has 443
million mobile subscribers, leaving little room for further expansion in urban
areas. Telecom operators are now focusing on rural areas where low cost is a key
factor.
"Without 3G licenses, Chinese operators will have to continue to
invest heavily in outdated technologies such as 2G and PHS (personal handy phone
system)," said Bienaime. He predicted that if China issues the 3G licenses
no later than the first quarter next year, operators would have enough time to
plan a phased deployment of 3G and provide a mature 3G network for the 2008
Olympics.
The expert said that launching 3G now will give Chinese
telecom equipment providers an opportunity to become major international players
by enlarging their share of both domestic and international markets.
The
Chinese-developed TD-SCDMA standard is currently being trialed in Beijing,
Shanghai, Qingdao, Baoding and Xiamen. The maturity of the technology will be a
factor in deciding China's 3G future.
"The trial is going very well and
TD-SCDMA is in its final pre-commercialization stages," said Wang Jing,
secretary-general of the TD-SCDMA Forum.
Wang said that the technology
has proved that it can be commercially deployed and the government was expected
to release the result of the trial soon. (For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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