ZTE to Base WiMAX Operations in Tianjin
November 09, 2007
On November 2, Chinese telecom equipment supplier ZTE began construction on an industrial base in Tianjin, according to Chinese-language Xinhua News. Located in the Tianjin Binhai Airport Logistics Processing Zone, ZTE's new facility is projected to focus on the development of WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification), as well as laser TV and laser display technology. As reported in an earlier Asia Express dated April 27, Tianjin has become the first city in China to develop a WiMAX network, following an agreement between the Tianjin government and China's MII (Ministry of Information Industry).
ZTE has injected five billion RMB (US$670.1 million; US$1=7.5 RMB) in its Tianjin base. Covering an area of 550,000 square meters, the base will be divided into four parts: headquarters, R&D center, manufacturing and logistics, and sales and training. Construction is slated to be finished in 2011, and shipment value is projected to top 10 billion RMB (US$1.3 billion) annually.