Today Telecomasia is reporting that the China’s Ministry of Information Industry has approved the use of foreign 3G standards for 3G cellular phones, including European and American standards, which are rivals to the China’s domestic TD-SCDMA standard. According to Yang Peifang, secretary general of the ministry’s telecommunication economist panel, “the three world standards will be used in China.”’
Operators will be free to choose which standard they want to use, but it seems that the government will still have the final say in how many 3G licenses are issued. China’s own technology for 3G mobile communication passed a series of ministry organized tests last year, and today China’s main four operators have started transition from the existing mobile telecom networks to 3G.
China approves use of foreign 3G standards [Telecomasia.net]