So far 15000 TD base stations have been deployed in 10 cities and the system exhibits high communication quality during testing by many parties and in many places. Over 20 terminal enterprises have acquired network access license. Therefore, both the network and terminals are ready for large-scale commercial use. The Olympic Games provides the best opportunity for commercialization and internationalization of TD network. During service tests and commercial trails for 20 days, 3G system in China has displayed obvious advantages than 2G. First of all, it allows face-to-face communication. The video phone system shortens distance and makes people feel warm. Second of all, it presents real-time features. Email and Internet surfing are possible during train or bus traveling, facilitating timely information exchange.

The current TD system has two main problems: The first one is that the network hasn’t achieved seamless coverage and there are still some local zones with inferior signals, resulting in failed dialing and occasional line interruption. Taking the 2G GSM network in Guangzhou as an example, it took 13 years to achieve complete coverage by constructing nearly 6000 base stations. For TD network, 2100 base stations have been established within less than 1 year. This reflects higher construction speed, and to become a top-class network, TD also calls for timely and continuous functional addition and improvement. The most challenging links are in Beijing, a city drawing much attention due to the Olympic Games. We are concerned about the fact that so far China Mobile, contractor of communication network system during the Olympic Games, haven’t made arrangement for supplementary network stations.

The second problem is insufficient TD mobile phones. So far only 60 thousand TD mobile phones specified in the first-stage bid are supplied. Mobile phone supply quantity and date for the second-stage bid of China Mobile haven’t been clarified. This leads to idling of production lines with an annual base station system production capacity of 10 million channels and tens of million of terminals. Lack of supply orders for long results in interrupted income and loss of ability to carry out continuous operation. [more]