China announced the test results of three 3G standards recently, which concluded that these standards are fast approaching maturity. WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) and CDMA2000 yielded satisfactory results, while China's home-grown TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous CDMA) also progressed reasonably, albeit with lingering setbacks.

 

A total of 12 operators and equipment providers participated in the tests, conducted by the China Academy of Telecom Research of the MII (Ministry of Information Industry) and were completed in September 2004. The results were made public for the first time at China Global Summit 2004 in Beijing, which was held this week. 

 

The WCDMA standard turned up an impressive performance in terms of equipment capabilities and stability; most of the 17 handsets tested passed. CDMA2000 also had good compatibility; only four models participated.

 

TD-SCDMA failed to achieve certain functionalities demanded by the Chinese government. Setbacks included few compatible handsets, dubious stability, unstable core network. Only one handset, provided by Datang Mobile, took part in the trial.

 

The Chinese government remains cautious about issuing 3G licenses, citing the need to ensure industry sustainability.