Centron Telecom International Holding Ltd, China's No. 3 maker of wireless coverage equipment, expects revenue to grow at least a quarter in 2009 after the country finally kicks off high-speed mobile services.

Carriers from China Mobile to China Telecom are building third-generation networks across the country, and gear makers such as Centron hope to supply them.

"Wireless coverage is the next important step after mobile carriers build up their networks. We are well prepared for it," Chief Executive Dai Guoyu told Reuters in an interview from the company's headquarters in southeastern Fujian province.

Dai expects to rake in at least 200 million yuan ($29.2 million) in revenue in 2009 from its third-generation mobile business if Beijing grants 3G licenses this year.

After years of waiting, Beijing unveiled in May a sweeping industry shake-up, folding its telecoms operators into three giant full-service players and promising to issue 3G licences.

Centron, which vies with bigger rivals Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Ltd and China GrenTech Co Ltd, derives the bulk of its revenue from China Mobile, the world's top wireless carrier, and its smaller rival Unicom.

source:economictimes