China Unicom has officially put the world's first dual-mode
mobile phones, which function in both GSM and CDMA networks, on the
domestic market.
China Unicom launched sales of the first 400,000-plus dual-mode
phones it purchased directly from the manufacturers across the
country Friday. The phones are expected to sell out by December,
said Wang Jianzhou, chairman and president of China
Unicom.
The new-type mobile phones, priced between 4,500 yuan (about
US$542.17) and 4,800 yuan (about US$578.31), enable users to switch
between GSM and CDMA networks easily with just the push of a
button.
It would allow customers to have the best of each world, the
unique features of CDMA network and the vast coverage of GSM
network.
Analysts?say the new product will further strengthen the
competitive power of China Unicom, the world's third largest mobile
communications operator, which currently operates China's only CDMA
network and second largest GSM network.
China Unicom lags behind China Mobile, the
biggest mobile communications network in China, in terms of the
scale and signal coverage of its GSM network.
Some people are attracted by the technological features of the
CDMA network, including low radiation and information security as
touted by China Unicom, but are dissatisfied with its limited
signal coverage in China.
"It's a hard choice. You have to choose between new technology
of CDMA and the convenience of GSM," said Zhou Sheng, a university
teacher in Beijing.
As an expedient means, some people carry a CDMA mobile phone of
China Unicom and a GSM mobile phone of China Mobile at the same
time.
Now with one phone, they could enjoy the advantages of both
services.
China Unicom had more than 100 million subscribers of its mobile
communications service by May 5. Of these, 22.56 million were CDMA
users.
?
(Xinhua News Agency August 7, 2004)