Datang offers 3G-compliant mobile phone
(eastday.com)
Updated: 2004-04-01 14:53

The world's first handset based on China's unique third generation mobile telecommunication, or 3G, standard made its debut yesterday in Beijing. The developer, Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Co Ltd aims to start mass production in the first half of next year.

This is regarded as a milestone marking the industry adoption of the home-grown standard.

The chinese government won't issue 3G licenses until the time division synchronous code division multiple access (TD-SCDMA) standard has been well-prepared for commercial use, insiders said.

Datang's handset debut is a major step in that process.

"This is a significant step to bring the whole industry closer to commercial use of that home-grown mobile standard," said Beijing-based Datang in a statement yesterday.

The new handset is equipped with integrated camera and supports various multi-media functions.

"The handset's birth will secure TD-SCDMA's commercial use," said Wu Wei, an analyst at CCID Consulting Co Ltd, the research arm of the Ministry of Information Industry.

The ministry chose Datang's new handset for the upcoming 3G test, to run from May through the end of the year. The government required all six domestic telecommunications business operators to test the TD-SCDMA technology.

"I can't image the Chinese government will launch the multi-billion-dollar 3G market if the home-grown standard hasn't been mature," said Wu. "The news of the handset's mass production will come right before China releases 3G licenses."

Ccid expects that the government will issue the 3G license in the first quarter of next year, starting a 1 trillion yuan (US$120.48 billion) market for telecommunications equipment makers and mobile operators.

The 3G technology allows users to exchange voice and data on handsets more quickly than the current level. Users can even hold video conferences via handsets.

The united States-developed CDMA 2000 and Europe-developed wide-band CDMA are also vying for acceptance as alternate 3G standards in China.

Close