610 mln mobile subscribers in China by 2009

The 3G market in China has great promise, but faces much uncertainty, including the government's developing policies on the high-speed wireless technology, reports In-Stat. The number of mobile subscribers in China will reach nearly 610 mln in 2009, with the percentage of 3G users ranging from 23% to 58%, depending on various competitive scenarios and operator strategies. WCDMA technology will be the dominating 3G technology in China, while TD-SCDMA will grow gradually over time. Government considerations will greatly influence factors such as technology maturity, handset availability, system compatibility, global roaming capability, and construction costs. Voice will still be the dominating service for 3G in China, while mobile Internet access service will be the fastest-growing service.