Weekly TD-SCDMA Update March 24-30
March 30, 2008
- According to China Business News, Guangdong Mobile, a subsidiary of China Mobile, plans to release TD-SCDMA mobile phone numbers on a small-scale basis in Guangzhou and Shenzhen starting in April 2008. However, TD-SCDMA service will not be available to local residents until the end of May or the beginning of June 2008.
- China Mobile announced on March 28 that its TD-SCDMA services is set to enter social and commercial trials starting in April 1 in eight major Chinese cities: including Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin, Shenyang, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Qinhuangdao, Xinhua News reported.
For the social trial, China Mobile will offer free 3G phones - with price tags ranging from 2,000 RMB (US$285.0; US$1 = 7.0 RMB) to 4,000 RMB (US$570.1) - to 20,000 selected users, with a monthly subsidy of 800 RMB (US$114.0) for communications expenses. As for the commercial trial, TD-SCDMA phones will be made available to the public for a discount of 100 RMB (US$14.2) to 200 RMB (US$28.5). Moreover, all expenses for communications services conducted on the TD-SCDMA network will enjoy a discount of 50% during the commercial trial.