China Mobile to launch 4G service on 25 April (Hong Kong)
Telecom operator China Mobile Ltd., is looking to roll out its 4G services in Hong Kong by the end of this month.
According to reports, Sean Lee, chief executive officer of China Mobile Hong Kong Co., said, a total of 10 4G phones will become available for customers this year. Moile operator Telstra (CSL) is already offering the advanced fourth- generation services since its launch in 2010.
China Mobile claims that the high-speed service, based on LTE technology, offers maximum download speeds of 100 megabits a second, or as much as 50 times quicker than 3G.
The 4G/LTE service lets users stream high defination videos and download games at much faster speeds, thereby catering to their needs of more mobile data and improving customer experience.
Alcatel-Lucent to offer innovative measures for mobile operators to overcome data storm (USA)
Tony Wood, Country Senior Officer of Alcatel-Lucent in East Africa, explains how innovation can help operators rise above the data storm to overcome network, business-model and competitive challenges.
The globalisation of the economy and the growth of the Internet have enhanced worldwide communications. End-users wherever based in a remote village or in a big city should rely on stable telecommunications connections to enquire about the wider world and make their contribution to it. The convergence of services (broadband Internet + video on-demand + voice) has become a significant reality. Telecom operators, service providers, enterprises rely on their networks to run their voice, data and Internet communication.
Africa is a growing market and a focus market for Alcatel-Lucent; it remains among the company’s most promising markets. Indeed, broadband is one of the top priorities in Africa, good progress has been made to connect cities to national backbones, but connectivity of small towns still poor.
It is a vast continent with various needs for connectivity and is mainly characterised by basic infrastructure needs in some areas, and more developed areas where existing infrastructures must now deliver high-quality broadband connectivity to support services like high-speed Internet access.
Alcatel-Lucent is strongly involved in the telecom infrastructure development in Africa to support telecommunications actors to rise above the data storm to overcome network, business-model and competitive challenges. Meeting the need for mobile telecommunications and the adoption of next-generation technologies, including lightRadio – the revolutionary innovation of Alcatel-Lucent (a miniature device that offers a solution to network gridlock and universal broadband coverage) and 4G LTE networks, to foster digital inclusion and the development of applications to enhance education, youth employment, social engagement, health and transportation among local communities and across large geographies.
Wood said that breakthrough innovation and technologies, proven execution and experience – that is what mobile broadband operators count on from them, from their market leadership in wireless and IP, their research advances from Bell Labs, their company’s innovation engine, responsible for breakthroughs that have shaped the networking and communications industry and their global service experience in transforming networks to rise above the mobile data storm, to deliver cost-effective and high quality mobile broadband services to consumers and business users. He added that realising the potential of a connected world is an integral part of their vision and strategy.
He also said that Alcatel-Lucent unveiled lightRadio last year – the outcome of research by Bell Labs, the group’s world-leading R&D arm. It is a completely revolutionary approach for mobile networking. This brand new range will free the mobile sector around the world from its dependence on antenna masts and mobile base stations (cell towers), which are generally the most energy-consuming components of the network, and also the most expensive and difficult to maintain.
At a time of rapid traffic growth, the lightRadio system will radically simplify mobile networks, expand network capacity, lower operating costs, reduce energy consumption and bring connectivity to everyone around the world. With its flexible architecture, lightRadio is typically located at the base of each cell tower, is broken into its component elements and distributed through the network or ‘carrier cloud’.
Additionally the various cell tower antennas are combined and shrunk into a single, powerful, Bell Labs-pioneered multi-frequency, multi-standard (2G, 3G, LTE) device that can be mounted on poles, sides of buildings, WiFi networks or anywhere else there is power and a broadband connection.
In only a year, Alcatel-Lucent has not only moved from prototype to product, but has built an entire next-generation mobile platform, and it has a rich ecosystem of partners and co-creation customers it has been working with around the world: Telefónica, France Telecom/Orange, China Mobile, and Etisalat in the UAE.
The lightRadio architecture is fundamentally changing the structure of wireless networks to handle the video and Web surfing demands of consumers, increasing daily with the number of smartphones and tablets. Connecting becomes easy with lightRadio.
Samsung maintains lead in China over Apple’s iPhone (China)
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics has maintained its stronghold over the Chinese market, making it tougher for rival Apple Inc. to increase its presence there. According to a report by BN, Samsung currently boasts of a market share three times as much as Apple.
Currently, Apple controls 7.5 per cent share of the Chinese smartphone market while Samsung accounts for 24.3 per cent. Apple has tied up with China Telecom Corp. to sell the iPhone. The report reveals that Apple is shifting its focus towards China as shipments of smartphones in the country are projected to jump 52 per cent this year to 137 million units, overtaking the U.S. for the first time as the world’s biggest market. However, a concern for Apple is that the iPhone is not compatible with the nation’s largest operator, China Mobile.
Thus, while Apple might be maintaining the lead in the worldwide smartphone market, it still has a long way to go to become the leader in China. Samsung has tied up with all carriers thereby expanding its presence; whereas Apple has taken a big risk and eliminated a large portion of the market by focusing on the smaller carriers.
China Mobile seeks to add 20,000 TD-LTE stations in 2012 (China)
China Mobile, a leading mobile operator is reportedly planning to add around 20,000 TD-LTE base stations to its trial network next year, as a result of the increase in demand for 3G data services, which may pave the way for 4G services earlier than expected. According to reports, China Mobile which currently has less than 7 percent of its customers on 3G services, aims to provide higher quality data services in a bid to better compete with its rivals.
In keeping with this, Xi Guohua, Vice Chairman, China Mobile has reportedly said that the company will build between 10,000 and 20,000 additional TD-LTE base stations around China in 2012. Further, it has already installed 850 base stations in six cities and 50 percent of its 250,000 TD-SCDMA base stations can be gradually upgraded to the new standard.
China Mobile launches new daily data roaming package (Asia)
China Mobile, the world’s leading mobile phone operator, has reportedly launched a new daily data roaming tariff package for its users. The company had earlier introduced a package offering reduced international roaming tariffs for voice, text messages and mobile data across 23 countries and regions.
According to reports, currently, the new tariff plan has been launched in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand, and is largely aimed at international travelers using their mobile handset to surf the internet. As per sources, customers subscribing to the daily data tariff package can access unlimited roaming data in specific operator networks for a daily fixed charge while roaming in any of the aforesaid places. Further, reports suggest that the per day charge for the service will be around $14 in Hong Kong as compared to $15.3 payable at the other places.
Former Chairman of China Mobile sentenced to death for bribery (China)
Li Hua, the former Chairman and General Manager of the Sichuan branch of China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile phone operator in terms of subscribers, was sentenced to death with a two year reprieve, for accepting bribes. The two year reprieve allows for the death penalty to be converted to life in prison, on the basis of good behaviour.
Li Hua was convicted on a charge of accepting US$2.58 million in bribes from local companies by a Court in southwest China’s Sichuan Province. According to reports, US$1.97 million were returned by Li Hua after he pled guilty. With this move, China aims to root out the corruption found amongst high-ranking officials and executives at state-run companies. Sources claim that at least six other executives from China Mobile are under investigation in corruption cases.
Fitel, China Mobile team up to test 100 Mbps LTE (Taiwan)
First International Telecom (Fitel), Taiwanese WiMax operator will set-up a number of TD-LTE base stations in Taiwan with China Mobile.
According to reports, Fitel and China Mobile will launch five to ten TD-LTE base stations in the government-planned Taoyuan Aerotropolis beside the Taoyuan International Airport to undertake field test. The trial project is expected to run from July 1 this year to June 30, 2012. China Mobile will offer technological assistance while local notebook maker Quanta Computer will provide equipment and terminal devices.
Nokia Siemens Networks to participate in large scale China TD-LTE trial
With the approval of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT), Nokia Siemens Networks has become one of the first telecommunications equipment vendors to participate in the large-scale TD-LTE trial with China Mobile.
Nokia Siemens Networks will offer its commercial 2.3GHz/2.6GHz TD-LTE equipment, professional services and management software to conduct the major field trial in Hangzhou.
Nokia Siemens Networks has already completed both 2.3 and 2.6GHz outdoor, and 2.3GHz indoor, single-system testing with TD-LTE. The company is one of the first global vendors to be selected for the large-scale TD-LTE field trials with China Mobile. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has conducted interoperability tests of its TD-LTE equipment with a number of TD-LTE devices of major suppliers. As stated by MIIT, Nokia Siemens Networks will cooperate with China Mobile to accelerate network construction, equipment installation, and network optimization according to the overall requirements and plan of the large-scale TD-LTE trial in Hangzou.
Nokia Siemens Networks has built a complete TD-LTE business in China, integrating procurement, production, testing and maintenance with its Hangzhou R&D Center at the center of this value chain,†said Markus Borchert, head of Greater China customer operations at Nokia Siemens Networks. The approval by MIIT confirms our long-term support for TDLTE and our leadership driving the global ecosystem for unpaired frequency bands.â€
In addition to its market-leading Single RAN Advanced radio equipment, Nokia Siemens Networks will provide network planning and network optimization services to ensure sustained network quality and performance. Configuration, monitoring and optimization for this project will be based on the company’s Network Management System, NetAct.
Alcatel-Lucent to deploy trial TD-LTE network in Shanghai (China)
Alcatel-Lucent has announced that it has been selected by China Mobile to participate in a TD-LTE trial network deployment in China.
Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell will be working on a TD-LTE trial in the city of Shanghai, which is one of seven cities where China Mobile is testing LT-LTE services.
The tests were conducted in both 2.3GHz and 2.6GHz frequency bands for indoor and outdoor deployments and relied on Alcatel-Lucent’s industry-leading LTE expertise to provide an end-to-end integrated solution including LTE base stations (eNodeBs), the Evolved Packet Core (EPC). Alcatel-Lucent’s solution successfully passed interoperability tests with two unnamed terminal suppliers.
China Mobile full year profits rise by 3.9%
China Mobile Corp has reported its full year results. As per the results, its full year revenues rose by 7.3% to US$73.8 billion, while net profit increased by 3.9% to US$18.2 billion.
The customer base rose by 11.8% to 584 million – a rise of 61.73 million over the previous year. Of the total, 20.70 million are using 3G services.
EBITDA rose 4.5% over last year to US$36.43 billion, with EBITDA margin reaching 49.3%.
In addition, voice usage volume continued to grow. Average minutes of usage per user per month (MOU) were 521 minutes, up by 5.4% over last year. Average revenue per user per month (ARPU) was US$11.10, exhibiting a slowdown in decline.
According to the company, it will accelerate the rollout of its TD-LTE network and will still consider suitable overseas acquisitions.
