November 2003 updates

China's first 3G mobile phone launched
By Huixin Ke in Beijing, China. November 2003

China's first third-generation (3G) mobile phone was launched in Chongqing Municipality on 2 November. It is the first mobile phone in accordance with the TD-SCDMA standard displayed by China Da Tang Telecom (DTT). According to Professor Zheng Jianhong, the 3G mobile phone programme superintendent at the Chongqing Institute of Posts and Telecommunications, the new mobile phone is manufactured using Chinese-owned technology and software.

The Chongqing Institute of Posts and Telecommunications signed a letter of intent with China Putian Corp about cooperation in the 3G mobile sector on 16 November. Under this arrangement they will jointly set up a factory in Chongqing Municipality to produce the first batch of 3G mobile phones in the first quarter of 2004 for network experiments and bring it into commercial production in 2005.

Internet Protocol Version 6 ( IPv6) plays an important role in the new telecom network. During the 2003 China IPv6 Network Construction Seminar held on 11November, the National Development and Innovation Commission indicated that 0.4 billion RMB have been allocated for the development of the IPv6 network and one billion RMB for establishing the relevant facilities. More information at: http://www.china.org.cn/chinese/EC-c/433976.htm http://www.isc.org.cn/20020417/ca205908.htm

Other news

China established a digital library, which is the largest Chinese information base, on 8 November. It will make available 80% of Chinese information on the Web in three years. More at http://www.cnii.com.cn/20030915/ca203676.htm

China Netcom International, the first international telecom corporation in China, was founded on 6 November. More at http://tech.sina.com.cn/it/t/2003-11-08/0918253691.shtml