China to use TD-SCDMA in 3G services during Olympics

A senior Chinese official confirmed on Tuesday that China will adopt its homegrown third generation (3G) mobile phones to offer 3G communications service during the Beijing Olympics next year.

"We are expanding the TD-SCDMA (Time Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access) network tests and the public will enjoy customized 3G services at next year's Olympics," said Xu Qin, director of the high-tech industry department of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a forum.

But the official did not say whether the other two types of CDMA technologies - the US-made CDMA 2000 and the European WCDMA, which have both been given the green light by the Ministry of Information Industry, would be used in the Olympics.

The Chinese government has promised to provide 3G mobile communications services in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics but has not specified what kind of 3G technologies will be used.

Lou Qinjian, deputy minister of the Information Industry, said last Thursday that it was undecided what kind of 3G technologies would be used during the Beijing Olympics.

"Our major concern is whether the technology can satisfy the bandwidth and transmission speed requirements," he said.

Lou also disclosed that there was no timetable for the issuance of 3G licenses as relevant departments were still mulling over the management and operational mode of 3G services. But analysts said the homegrown standard is most likely to get the first license.