China 3G Delayed Again
Mobile phone manufacturers were hoping to begin selling 3G mobile phones in China, where, according to a recent survey, over 80 million customers would like to switch to 3G. But it looks like both customers and manufacturers will have to wait until 2008, as the government is preventing the 3G network operators to provide 3G services.
The introduction of 3G in China has been delayed by the government for over a year, while the country's TD-SCDMA
standard is to be finalized. Carriers have already set up test networks in several urban areas and are apparently ready to offer full 3G services. But there is nothing to do until the Chinese government grants 3G licenses, and although it is still possible that the government may grant the licenses throughout this year, it seems that ? currently - China may actually benefit from the delay. The many delays in the past were due to technical problems with China's TC-SCDMA standard.
