Tag Archives: TD-LTE

China Telecom, Unicom Plead For 4G Licenses

Unicom, China Telecom lag in telecoms race

China’s 2 smaller telcos, China Telecom (HKEx: 728; NYSE: CHA) and China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU), are reportedly urging the telecoms regulator to quickly give them new 4G licenses as they find themselves in the uncomfortable position of rapidly losing share to dominant carrier China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL). The development looks a bit worrisome from a broader market perspective, as it appears to show that 3 years of steady gains by the 2 smaller companies in the 3G era could quickly be reversed if the regulator doesn’t act soon, stifling competition and hurting consumers as China Mobile re-emerges as the nation’s overwhelmingly dominant player. Read Full Post…

China Telecom Eyes 4G, Private Partners

China Telecom eyes more private partnerships

China Telecom (HKEx: 728; NYSE: CHA) is quickly becoming a company to watch, with new signals indicating it will soon receive a 4G license for its FDD-LTE technology as it searches for private partners to co-develop new services. These 2 news bits actually come from separate sources, but they collectively show that China Telecom could be poised to gain some market share over its larger and more bureaucratic rivals China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) and China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU). Regular readers will know that I’m relatively bullish on China Mobile and China Telecom, though I’m far less enthusiastic about the schizophrenic Unicom. Read Full Post…

Unicom Picks FDD 4G, China Mobile Counts Down To iPhone

Unicom puts money on FDD-LTE

After 2 weeks of silence following the long-awaited issue of 4G mobile licenses, China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU) is finally making some hints about its strategy in the new era of high-speed telecommunications. I’m usually quite negative about the company due to its disorganization and lack of focus, but for once I have to compliment it for a strategy that looks reasonably well conceived. Meantime in other 4G news, the final countdown to China Mobile’s (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) iPhone launch may finally be nearing an end, with speculation that announcement of the long-overdue tie-up could come as soon as Wednesday. Read Full Post…

China Telecom Eyes 4G Launch, China Mobile Gets Aggressive

China Telecom readies 4G service launch

With the 4G telecoms era now formally begun, China’s 3 major telcos are suddenly rushing to give out more details about their plans in this new era of high-speed mobile communications. In the latest news from this fast-moving story, media are reporting that China Telecom (HKEx: 728; NYSE: CHA), the smallest of the nation’s 3 wireless carriers, will formally launch its 4G brand as soon as later this week. Meantime, leading telco China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) has disclosed pricing plans that look quite aggressive for its 4G service in the city of Chongqing. I should also add I’m not surprised that we haven’t heard anything yet from the nation’s third telco, China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU), which has a recent history of slowness and disorganization in response to such major new developments. Read Full Post…

Latest Signs Show 4G Finally Coming

4G licenses imminent

I’ve largely ignored most recent reports speculating on the imminent awarding of 4G wireless telecoms licenses, which has been rumored for most of this year but never seems to happen. But the latest flurry of news seems to indicate that licenses are finally on the cusp of coming, with one report saying they could even arrive on Thursday, which is today. (Chinese article) I won’t comment too much on the exact timing, though this particular set of reports does seem more credible than previous ones, leading me to predict we could see some news either this week or next. Read Full Post…

4G’s National Day Arrival: Cause To Celebrate?

Mobile telecoms fans who have been waiting for years for China to issue 4G mobile licenses may finally have reason to celebrate, amid the latest media reports that say licenses will finally be awarded around the upcoming Oct 1 National Day holiday. But the awards will be somewhat bittersweet for true mobile fans, since only users of a homegrown technology called TD-LTE will be able to sample the super-high speeds offered by 4G for at least the next few months. People waiting for service based on more mature western-developed technology called FDD-LTE will probably have to wait at least another half year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the wait is even closer to a year or more. Read Full Post…

Unicom On Wrong Track With TD 4G Plan

Unicom trials TD-LTE

After offering some rare praise last week for China Unicom (HKEx: 762; NYSE: CHU) related to a smart new tie-up with Internet giant Tencent (HKEx: 700), I’m sorry to have to return to my older pattern of criticizing this bumbling company, this time for a 4G strategy that looks quite schizophrenic. Somewhat appropriately, Unicom discussed its latest 4G plans on a day when it also bumbled the release of its latest financial results. In that instance, a government organization published Unicom’s interim results before their official release via the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, forcing Unicom to request a temporary halt in its stock’s trading until the official stock exchange release. Read Full Post…

China Mobile Gets 4G Edge, iPhone Coming?

China Mobile gets 4G boost

The latest reports on Beijing’s plans to issue 4G mobile licenses look like good news for China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL), which could lay the groundwork for China’s largest telco to reach a highly anticipated deal to finally offer an Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone for its network. But the news isn’t completely positive for China Mobile, as the latest reports also strongly imply that the nation’s other 2 carriers will both be allowed to develop 4G networks using mature, globally developed technologies. By comparison, China Mobile has been forced to build its 4G network using a problem-plagued homegrown Chinese technology called TD-LTE, and had been lobbying hard for the regulator to require one of its rivals to use that standard also. Read Full Post…

News Digest: October 11, 2011

The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on October 11. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.

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◙ China State Investor Buys Shares in Four Biggest Banks as Valuations Slump (English article)

Alibaba Said to Seek Temasek Financing to Buy Yahoo’s 40% Stake in Itself (English article)

◙ Rumor: TD-LTE Trials Stalled in Two Cities (English article; Chinese article)

Lenovo (HKEx: 992) Delays Internet TVs Due to Regulatory Difficulties (English article)

Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE) Announces New and Improved Warranty Terms (PRNewswire)

China Mobile: Where’s the 3G iPhone? 中移动4G网络稳步推进 3G版iPhone或遇阻

A flurry of new reports about China Mobile’s (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) highly anticipated 4G network came out toward the end of last week, with news of expanded trials and a near-certain tie-up with Apple (Nasdaq: APPL) for an iPhone that will run on the network’s homegrown Chinese technology. But perhaps more interesting was WASN’T in the reports, namely any updates on China Mobile’s talks to develop an iPhone for its struggling 3G network, also based on a Chinese technology standard. One of the two reports late last week cites China Mobile Chairman Wang Jianzhou saying his company has reached an agreement with Apple to work together on an iPhone for the company’s 4G mobile network using a technology called TD-LTE, which is now in advanced trial stages. (Chinese article) A separate article says China Mobile also plans to soon wrap up its first big-scale trials for TD-LTE in six major cities, with plans to start data card trials by the end of the year. (English article) If all goes according to plan, it looks like we could see China Mobile launch serious commercial trials for this 4G network by the end of next year, with full commercial service as soon as 2013 if the telecoms regulator agrees. That’s all fine and good for people looking ahead to 2013, but what’s missing here is any update from the talkative Wang on current talks to build an iPhone for China Mobile’s struggling 3G network, based on a problematic technology called TD-SCDMA. Reports have been rife for a while that China Mobile was close to a deal for a 3G iPhone, after it confirmed last year that such talks were taking place. But Wang’s latest silence looks like either he’s learned to keep quiet on sensitive matters, or more likely the 3G iPhone talks have hit a stumbling block, perhaps due to technology issues. If that’s the case, China Mobile and its stagnant bottom line may have to wait a while still for an iPhone that could bring new life to its 3G and 4G businesses.

Bottom line: China Mobile is making steady progress on its 4G network, but its chairman’s recent silence means talks for a 3G iPhone may have hit a stumbling block.

有报导称,中国移动将扩大4G网络测试,几乎可以确定将与苹果<APPL.O>合作,推适用於中移动自主研发网络的iPhone。但更有意思的是报导没有提及的内容,即有关中移动引进适用其TD-SCDMA网络的3G版iPhone的谈判。上周有报导援引中移动董事长王建宙的说法称,中移动与苹果达成合作协议,将针对中移动的TD-LTE网络推出新款iPhone。另有一篇文章称,中移动还计划尽快结束在六大城市对TD-LTE网络的大规模测试,拟在今年年底前开始数据卡测试。如果一切按计划顺利进行,中移动似乎到明年底前将正式开始TD-LTE网络的商用,如果得到监管部门的批准,最早2013年起将提供全面商用服务。这对於期待4G网络的人来说是好消息,但一向健谈的王建宙却对适用TD-SCDMA网络的iPhone谈判沉默。去年中移动确认在同苹果进行有关引进3G版iPhone的谈判後,有关协议接近达成的报导曾一度甚嚣尘上。但从王建宙近期三缄其口来看,要麽他学会了对敏感问题保持沉默,或者更可能的情况是,3G版iPhone谈判遇阻,很可能是由於技术问题。如果是这样,中移动或需等待一款iPhone问世,为其3G和4G业务带来新的活力,改善其盈利停滞状态。

一句话:中移动在4G网络方面取得稳步进展,但其董事长王建宙近期在3G版iPhone谈判上的沉默表明相关谈判或遇阻。

Related postings 相关文章:

China Telecom Set for Boost With Imminent iPhone Deal 中国电信借力iPhone

Latest Comments Show Why China Mobile’s Conservative Wang Should Retire 王建宙从中国移动退休或许已为期不远

China Mobile Turns Up 3G With New Handset Push 中国移动3G再发力

Spreadtrum Takes Smart Gamble on China 3G

Having survived an attack by short-sellers, cellphone chip designer Spreadtrum (Nasdaq: SPRD) is broadening its smart move into smartphones, this time by taking a big gamble on TD-SCDMA, the homegrown third-generation (3G) mobile standard being developed and promoted by China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL). Many will recall that this company made headlines earlier this year when short sellers attacked it over questions about its inventory — questions the company later successfully fended off. (previous post) In the meantime, the company said it was placing its bets for the future on smartphones (previous post), which have shown huge growth potential as celllphones become more and more like wireless computing devices. In the latest wrinkle, the company has disclosed that it now controls more than half of the market for chipsets used in smartphones that run on TD-SCDMA, the homegrown Chinese 3G wireless standard being used by China Mobile. (company announcement) If you had asked me 3 months ago what I thought about this, I would have said that Spreadtrum was wasting its time and money, as China Mobile was showing little interest in promoting its 3G service, which many considered unreliable due to the untested nature of the technology. But in just the last two months, China Mobile has suddenly shown a new interest in promoting the service, making Spreadtrum’s bet suddenly look much better. Its investment in TD-SCDMA will also inevitably give it a headstart in developing chipsets for the standard’s 4G successor, TD-LTE, which China Mobile is actively developing and could launch commercially as soon as next year. Many carriers outside China are also taking a serious look at TD-LTE, which could further boost the market for this standard. Of course, other chipset makers will probably see what’s happening and jump on the TD bandwagon, but Spreadtrum’s early entry into this space should give it a clear advantage for at least the next 1-2 years.

Bottom line: Spreadtrum’s aggressive push into TD-SCDMA looks like a smart move in light of China Mobile’s recent promotion of its 3G service.

Related postings 相关文章:

China Mobile Nears iPhone Deal, Continues 4G Press 中移动iPhone协议近尾声 加紧4G攻势

Spreadtrum On Cusp of Putting Out Short-Seller Fire 展讯力抗卖空方

Spreadtrum Steps Up Smart Drive 展讯通信向智能手机市场迈出精明一步