A senior Chinese official confirmed on Tuesday that China will
adopt its homegrown third generation (3G) mobile phones to offer 3G
communications service during the Beijing Olympics next year.
"We are expanding the TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code
Division Multiple Access) network tests and the public will enjoy
customized 3G services at next year's Olympics," said Xu Qin,
director of the high-tech industry department of the National
Development and Reform Commission, at a forum.
But the official did not say whether the other two types of CDMA
technologies - the US-made CDMA 2000 and the European WCDMA, which
have both been given the green light by the Ministry of
Information, would be used in the Olympics.
The Chinese government has promised to provide 3G mobile
communications services in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but
has not specified what kind of 3G technologies will be used.
Lou Qinjian, deputy minister of the Information Industry, said
last Thursday that it was undecided what kind of 3G technologies
would be used during the Beijing Olympics.
"Our major concern is whether the technology can satisfy the
bandwidth and transmission speed requirements," he said.
Lou also disclosed that there was no timetable for the issuance
of 3G licenses as relevant departments were still mulling over the
management and operational mode of 3G services. But analysts said
the homegrown standard is most likely to get the first license.
(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2007)
