China Starts Building 3G Trials

From The Financial Times:

"China has quietly begun building large-scale trial networks based on its home-grown third-generation (3G) mobile telephone standard, say industry participants.

Construction of the networks in Shanghai and other cities is the strongest evidence yet of China’s determination to create a central role for the TD-SCDMA standard as part of its long-awaited roll-out of 3G services.
It will also fuel expectations that Beijing plans soon to issue a TD-SCDMA licence to China Telecom, the leading fixed-line operator, which is running the Shanghai trial along with two other phone companies."

"State media this week quoted Xi Guohua, information industry vice-minister, as saying “decision time” had arrived for 3G licensing policy and that TD-SCDMA must play a central role. “Now the technology and the industrial chain for this standard has taken shape,” Mr Xi said. “TD-SCDMA must take a place in Chinese 3G and it may be run by a strong operator.”
His remarks were seen as a signal that China Telecom would be soon allowed to build a nationwide TD-SCDMA network."