China Mobile CEO Li Yue has expressed hope that fourth-generation (4G) mobile phones priced as low as US$150 per handset may be released by the end of the year, as the cost of 4G mobile telecom technology is one-third or one-quarter that of 3G, the Chinese-language Beijing News reports.
Li said the 4G frequency usage rate is double or triple that of 3G and that 4G's loading capacity is more than 10 times that of 3G. In addition, 4G's coverage is much larger than, he noted, adding that 400 networks in 200 countries and areas use 4G technology, with over 1,200 kinds of terminal devices.
Although the Chinese government has not yet begun to issue 4G licenses, China Mobile has completed its procurements for plans to build 200,000 4G base stations around mainland China and has purchased 1 million 4G terminals, Li said.
However, Li admitted that current prices for 4G client devices remain high in China. Among Samsung's TD-LTE mobile phones, a Galaxy Note 2 is priced at around 3,800 yuan (US$625), while the higher-end Galaxy S III sells for 4,699 yuan (US$770).
China Mobile has released several types of 4G phone, which include models from Samsung and Sony with prices ranging between 2,999 and 4,999 yuan (US$490-$820).
The prices are still too high for most, Li said, expressing his hope for devices priced around US$150. He predicted that 4G handsets priced at under 1,000 yuan (US$165) will be the mainstream for the 4G market.
The 4G technology is based on long-term evolution (LTE) technology, which exists in two standards: TD-LTE (time-division LTE) and FDD-LTE (frequency-division-duplex LTE). China Mobile's 4G system was built according to the TD-LTE standard.
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