Alcatel-Lucent has announced that its Chinese company, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell (ALSB), has been signed to provide China Mobile with 3G services. As part of a consortium with Datang Mobile, ALSB will be providing 3G networks in 11 provinces.
Specifically, ALSB will be helping with a type of mobile network that has been developing in China by Datang. It’s name is quite a mouthful: the phase III Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access, or TD-SCDMA. Functionally this is just another way of providing 3G services for mobile devices, but it has the advantage of being designed in China, specifically for Chinese mobile operators.
Datang Mobile and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell have been working hand-in-hand to promote this technology. They’ve even had a relationship with China Mobile before. In December of last year, they provided TD-SCDMA networks for 11 other cities in the China Mobile network.
From the release:
Xie Yongbin, President of Datang Mobile: “In order to improve customer satisfaction, Datang Mobile has made large efforts around the TD-SCDMA technology and products both through continuing innovation and development in this space as well as leveraging the live network experience. We believe that Datang Mobile and Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell will enhance their strategic partnership and continue the win-win cooperation in the future development of TD-SCDMA.”
Olivia Qiu, President of Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell: “Joining hands with Datang Mobile, Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell will support China Mobile in providing its millions of subscribers with advanced 3G services and applications.”
What we think?
The last time we saw ALSB, it had just signed a contract to provide metro signage in two major Chinese cities. It’s good to have a spread of interest, I guess.
