China Telecom yesterday placed a 4-million 3G handset order with dozens of domestic mobile phone makers, the biggest such order ever in China, as the country's largest fixed-line phone operator steps up its efforts to build up its 3G user bases.
China Telecom has completed the first phase construction of its 3G network nationwide to cover all county-level or above cities, almost six months ahead of the original schedule, the country's No. 3 mobile carrier said yesterday.
China Telecom Corp, the country's biggest fixed-line phone company, has taken a big hit from the continuous fall in demand, especially in the large cities, as more and more consumers are going in for mobile connections.
China Telecom has launched the first commercial trial of 3G services in Shanghai. A total of 1600 terminal stations in the city had been completed as of Sunday.
China Telecom will purchase 20 million 3G handsets from manufacturers in 2009 and plans to launch its second round of handset procurement shortly, an executive of China Telecom's handset subsidiary said.