China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd., the country’s second-biggest mobile-phone carrier, expects the government to accelerate the process of awarding licenses for high-speed wireless services, Chairman Chang Xiaobing said.

The faster wireless services will help the economy, said Chang, who spoke at a conference in Macau today. The government- led reorganization of the telecommunications industry is “largely completed,” he said.

The government may delay awarding 3G licenses to the first half of next year to allow more time for the development of a home-grown wireless technology, according to a Morgan Stanley report last month. The later-than-expected issuance of the high- speed permits would affect Unicom’s plans to introduce faster wireless services to challenge industry leader China Mobile Ltd.

Unicom may start 3G services as early as the third quarter next year if licenses are issued by the end of 2008, Chang said in August. The company had planned to spend 100 billion yuan ($14.7 billion) in 2009 and 2010 to expand its wireless networks and offer 3G services.

Source:Bloomberg