Number of 3G users lower than expected
By Zhu Shenshen |
July 21, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S 3G user base was "less than expected" by the end of first half because of lack of 3G models and network coverage problems, the country's top industry regulator said yesterday.
Investment related to 3G is expected to hit 120 billion yuan (US$17.6 billion) in China this year, 25 percent less than in 2009. But there will be no change to the plan to invest a total of 400 billion yuan in 3G from 2009 to 2011, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
By the end of June, China's 3G user base had reached 25.2 million. Of them, 10.5 million used the China-developed TD-SCDMA system, said Zhang Feng, the ministry's telecommunications division director. In an early plan, China had estimated a total of 60 million 3G users by the end of this year.
"The 3G development is less than our expectation because of the model variety and coverage problems. Consumers may need more time to know and get used to 3G services," Zhang said at press conference yesterday.
There are not enough varieties of 3G models available, especially in the TD-SCDMA sector and analysts also said that 3G phone prices are too high for many users at prices from 3,000 yuan.
China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom all said recently that they would be launching more affordable models costing less than 1,000 yuan.
Carriers are constructing 3G base stations nationwide to improve signal coverage to more regions. At present, 3G services are only available in the county-level regions.
Investment related to 3G is expected to hit 120 billion yuan (US$17.6 billion) in China this year, 25 percent less than in 2009. But there will be no change to the plan to invest a total of 400 billion yuan in 3G from 2009 to 2011, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
By the end of June, China's 3G user base had reached 25.2 million. Of them, 10.5 million used the China-developed TD-SCDMA system, said Zhang Feng, the ministry's telecommunications division director. In an early plan, China had estimated a total of 60 million 3G users by the end of this year.
"The 3G development is less than our expectation because of the model variety and coverage problems. Consumers may need more time to know and get used to 3G services," Zhang said at press conference yesterday.
There are not enough varieties of 3G models available, especially in the TD-SCDMA sector and analysts also said that 3G phone prices are too high for many users at prices from 3,000 yuan.
China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom all said recently that they would be launching more affordable models costing less than 1,000 yuan.
Carriers are constructing 3G base stations nationwide to improve signal coverage to more regions. At present, 3G services are only available in the county-level regions.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
