- China Mobile is set to start large-scale commercial trials for TD-LTE (Time Division-Long Term Evolution) - a TDD (Time Division Duplex) version of LTE - in the second half of 2010, the Xinhua News reported on May 26, citing vice president of China Mobile, Sha Yuejia. Aiming to upgrade its present TD-SCDMA (TD-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) to 4G technology, China Mobile's TD-LTE commercial trials will be implemented in three phases. Of the three phases, the first phase will demonstrate concepts, and the second phase will focus on technology R&D, due to kick off within the first half of 2009. Meanwhile, the third phase, which will involve commercial trials of TD-LTE on a large scale, is expected to be initiated in the second half of 2010. Furthermore, China's MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) noted that it has established a TD-LTE panel to help accelerate R&D and adoption of the technology.

 

As for TD-SCDMA development, China Mobile, which completed its second phase of TD-SCDMA network deployment in March 2009, had 25,764 base stations operational as of May 2009. During the third phase, the company plans to build over 80,000 base stations in 238 cities in China, according to the same source.

 

- China Mobile and CSMB (China Satellite Mobile Broadcasting) have entered into a cooperation agreement, whereby China Mobile's users can access several TV programs and radio channels by means of TD-SCDMA phones supporting China's own-developed CMMB (China Mobile Multimedia Broadcasting) mobile TV standard, the Xinhua News reported on June 2. The TD-CMMB service coverage will include 174 cities in China and further extend to 337 prefecture-level cities in China by December 2009. Additionally, most TD-SCDMA phones scheduled to hit the market in 2009 will be pre-installed with the CMMB technology. Under the tie-up, CSMB will producing and broadcasting TV programs, while constructing and maintaining CMMB networks.

 

- ST-Ericsson, a 50-50 JV between Ericsson and STMicroelectronics, has inked a cooperation agreement with China Mobile through its subsidiary in China, T3G, according to a press release by ST-Ericsson on May 26. Under the agreement, T3G will develop a new low-cost mobile phone platform for China Mobile to deliver high-end and value-line TD-SCDMA phones to its customers. At the same time, ST-Ericsson will also focus on the development of high-end mobile phones with high-speed broadband and multimedia features. Further details regarding the value of the deal were not yet disclosed though.

 

- China Telecom collaborated with the Hubei provincial government in the deployment of a high-speed telecom service platform in the Hubei province, according to a report by the Xinhua News on May 30. Pursuant to the agreement, China Telecom will deploy telecom network infrastructure in Hubei within the next five years. The deal is valued at 15 billion RMB (US$2.2 billion; US$1 = 6.8 RMB). Infrastructure will include high-speed wireless and broadband networks