Tags:China Mobile | 3G

China Mobile (NYSE: CHL; 0941.HK) began issuing TD-SCDMA numbers today, with reports on the process showing mixed results for Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Beijing

Near 10 o''clock on the morning of April 1, Sohu IT found that the first TD-SCDMA applicant at Beijing Mobile''s Baofusi Qiao service center had left after being informed that the "number-issuing system is currently being updated and is temporarily unable to process your application." At the time of this writing, the TD-SCDMA number issuing system was still experiencing difficulties that prevented it from providing TD-SCDMA services to the public.

The first TD-SCDMA applicant at the Beitaipingzhuang service center received the first TD-SCDMA SIM card at 10:26 this morning, but will have to continue waiting for a TD-SCDMA handset.

Shanghai
At 9:00 this morning, Shanghai Mobile service centers at Siping Lu and Renmin Lu began issuing 3G mobile phones, data cards, and corresponding SIM cards. In the TD-SCDMA display room at Siping Lu, one reporter found that within the first hour after TD-SCDMA numbers went on sale, a total of 3 people were waiting to purchase 3G SIM cards.

A Shanghai Evening Post reporter saw that devices displaying mobile TV, videoconferencing and other 3G functionalities in the service center had not been activated. Zhang Wei, director of domestic branding for ZTE (0763.HK; 000063.SZ), said that although 3G users are currently unable to enjoy mobile television, videoconferencing and other such functionalities, the TD-SCDMA handsets that have been introduced completely support these platforms, and that users need only wait for operators to complete development on these systems and networks.

Guangzhou
Guangzhou''s first user of the new TD-SCDMA commercial trials was a Guangzhou Mobile ''Shenzhouxing'' user. It took her more than an hour to complete the procedures necessary for network access; she bought a dual-mode ZTE U980, saying that her main reason for purchasing a TD-SCDMA card was to use videoconferencing. A reporter from Netease''s Guangzhou office believes that there are roughly ten users who purchased TD-SCDMA handsets in the same service center this morning. Guangzhou has two TD-SCDMA service centers.