BEIJING-Fixed-line carrier China Netcom plans to launch its Little Smart or ‘xiaolingtong’ service in selected areas of China’s capital Beijing in May, using UTStarcom equipment.
Netcom plans to install 30 base stations in Beijing. Until recently, the Little Smart service had been confined to inland or smaller cities. A launch of the service in Beijing would eliminate those geographical limitations.
Mobile carriers China Mobile and China Unicom are opposed to Netcom’s move into mobile telecommunications. Netcom does not hold a mobile license.
In March, following China’s parliamentary session, a new minister of Information Industry will be appointed. It remains to be seen whether he will follow a strict or liberal regulatory policy.
Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post claims “a source from one of the mobile carriers said the launch of xiaolingtong in Beijing was only a matter of time as the regulators had recognized the service’s legal status in China Telecom’s listing prospectus.”
