I don’t know about other people, but I’m getting increasingly tired of China Mobile’s (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL) non-stop string of word games as it aggressively pushes the country’s telecoms regulator to quickly issue 4G licenses that will allow it to offer a commercial 4G wireless service. But perhaps my frustration would be more appropriately directed at the telecoms regulator itself, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), whose massive bureaucracy means it often takes ridiculously long periods to approve just about anything, putting China’s telecoms market at a major disadvantage to global peers.
Tag Archives: MIIT
Apple Invests in China — Finally 苹果终于在华投资
For a company of its size, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) has been surprisingly conservative about its investments in China, opening just a few of its trademark stores in a country that is already one of its top global markets but otherwise making few major investments. But that could soon change with talk that the world’s biggest tech company is aiming to open a research and development center in China, which has become an unspoken prerequisite for any company that hopes to successfully do big business in the country. Apple clearly needs to think about such high-profile, big investments in China if it ever wants to streamline some of the bureaucracy that has kept some of its most popular products out of the market for months after their global launches.
Tencent-China Mobile: Virtual Network Buddies? 腾讯有望成虚拟运营商 与中移动合作
A rapidly evolving pilot program that should see at least 6 virtual network operators (VNOs) enter China’s telecoms space this year has everyone chattering about who the first operators might be, with Internet leader Tencent (HKEx: 700) mentioned as one of the most likely candidates. Tencent hasn’t really commented on its intent, though it’s certainly an intriguing possibility, especially against the backdrop of the company’s recent high-profile spat with leading mobile carrier China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL). I’ll take a look more closely at this element shortly, but first let’s take a step back and check out the latest big-picture news involving the biggest opening in years for China’s sensitive telecoms sector.
Apple’s Cook Meets China Regulators 苹果CEO库克会见中国工信部部长
It may be cold and wintry in Beijing as the Year of the Snake approaches, but that isn’t stopping some of the world’s top high-tech CEOs from passing through the Chinese capital in pursuit of their own varied agendas. First Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Chairman Eric Schmidt made a high-profile stop in Beijing en route to a visit to North Korea, and now we’re learning that Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook has also come calling on the nation’s capital this week. But whereas Schmidt’s visit seemed a bit whimsical to me, Cook’s trip looks much more practical, including an all-important stop at the nation’s telecoms regulator, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). (Chinese article)
News Digest: January 9 报摘：2013年1月9日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on January 9. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM) Warns China Sales Fell More Than Expected (English article)
- Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook In China For Another Visit (Chinese article)
- MIIT Issues Draft For MVNO Service Trials (English article)
- China’s CDB Wavers On Funding HSBC’s Ping An (HKEx: 2318) Stake Sale: Sources (English article)
- Dangdang (NYSE: DANG) To Reduce Focus On 3C, Apparel (English article)
Virtual Networks Coming in 2013 虚拟运营商或于明年进入中国电信市场
The Chinese media have been buzzing these last few days with word that the telecoms regulator will soon roll out a highly anticipated plan to allow virtual network operators (VNOs) into China in 2013, finally breaking the monopoly on telecoms services held by the nation’s 3 major telcos. Such a move could suddenly open the door for homegrown companies like Tencent (HKEx: 700) and Sina (Nasdaq: SINA) to offer specialized services over their own privately branded virtual networks, but would also open the door for bigger global names like France Telecom (Paris: FTE) and AT&T (NYSE: T) to enter the long-closed market.
News Digest: December 26 报摘： 2012年12月26日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on December 26. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- China Mobile (HKEx: 941) to Launch Out 4G Trials in 100-Plus Cities in 2013 (Chinese article)
- MIIT to Issue VNO Licenses in Mid-2013 – Source (English article)
- Brazil Approves ICBC (HKEx: 1398) to Set Up Local Banking Unit (HKEx announcement)
- Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) Debuts Image Search Service (English article)
- Sony (Tokyo: 6758) Says China Business Has Recovered, Foresees Growth
News Digest: November 20 报摘： 2012年11月20日
The following press releases and media reports about Chinese companies were carried on November 20. To view a full article or story, click on the link next to the headline.
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- HSBC (HKEx: 5) In Talks To Sell $9.3 Bln China Ping An (HKEx: 2318) Stake (English article)
- Jingdong Mall Launches Online Music Service (English article)
- MIIT to Release Plan for Trial Private Investment in Telecom Sector (English article)
- Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU) Reports Q3 Unaudited Results (PRNewswire)
- Total (Paris: TOTF) Sells $2.5 Bln Nigeria Oil Field Stake to Sinopec (HKEx: 386) (English article)
Cable Consolidation Gets Money, Licenses 中国有线电视行业整合扑朔迷离
A recent flurry of new reports is hinting that a state-led consolidation of China’s fragmented cable TV industry is moving ahead, but also that the campaign may be meeting with some resistance from provincial governments reluctant to cede assets to a Beijing-based national operator. Despite that resistance, I suspect that this consolidation will probably succeed in the end since Beijing really wants it to happen. But the new operator may have to cede a lot of autonomy to its various provincial level units, meaning it could have difficulty competing with China’s 3 major telcos which have stronger central coordination.
2013: The Year of TD Wireless?
A flurry of new signals from the public and private sectors are all indicating that TD, a home-grown Chinese technology for third- and fourth-generation wireless mobile services, may finally be gaining momentum after several years of languishing, providing a welcome boost for China Mobile (HKEx: 941; NYSE: CHL), the technology’s main proponent. The latest news bits include word that China Mobile itself is preparing to purchase large volumes of handsets that can operate on the 4G standard known as TD-LTE, and that global smartphone chip leader Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) will roll out a highly anticipated TD chip by the end of the year. From the regulatory end, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which oversees the telecoms sector, is also reportedly preparing to finalize its spectrum plans for TD-LTE and 4G in general within the next month.
