AOL Time Warner (AOL-TW) said its CETV channel would be distributed to cable TV subscribers in southern region of China. Head of China’s State Administration of Radio, Film & TV (SARFT) Minister Xu Guang Chun, said this was first time foreign TV institution was being granted cable TV carriage rights in mainland China. Carriage agreement was signed at SARFT hq in Beijing Mon. by AOL-TW’s Turner Bcstg. System Asia-Pacific unit; China Central TV (CCTV), China’s national TV network; China International TV Corp. (CITVC), commercial branch of CCTV; Guangdong Cable TV Networks Co.(GCTV), one of China’s largest cable operators. CETV -- 24-hour Mandarin-language information and entertainment channel -- will be carried beginning in Jan. on GCTV cable systems in southern China. As part of agreement, CCTV-9, CCTV’s English-language news and information channel, will be carried on some TW-Cable systems -- first time CCTV network will be carried on 24-hour basis on any U.S. cable system. AOL-TW CEO Gerald Levin called deal “landmark agreement.”
Exports to China
China Broadband’s operational subsidiary Big Sky Network Canada signed pact with Jitong Network Communications to provide fixed wireless Internet service throughout China, terms not announced. Under memorandum of understanding, China Broadband will test fixed wireless solution using spectrum provided by Jitong. China Broadband said equipment being tested could deliver “carrier-grade” voice and data services at speeds of 12 Mbps within range of single base station covering radius of 3-5 miles. System uses self- provisioning end-user equipment. Based on trial’s results, China Broadband said it would add Internet access and value- added services jointly with Jitong throughout country on latter’s existing spectrum. China Broadband already offers broadband Internet service over existing cable TV networks and metropolitan area ether networks in China. “We believe this fixed wireless initiative, in partnership with Jitong, will achieve the same level of quality as our current ‘wired’ deployments, while enabling more rapid customer acquisition from a nationwide market,” China Broadband CEO Matthew Heysel said. Tests are expected to begin in 60-90 days. Based on their results and final contract negotiations, in addition to govt. approvals, Heysel said national rollout of service was expected early next year, starting in major metro areas.
Ericsson and China’s Guangdong Mobile Communications Corp. (GMCC) signed 2 contracts valued at $535 million to expand carrier’s GSM/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network. After expansion, GMCC network will be able to accommodate more than 27 million subscribers and provide GPRS services to its entire coverage area, including advanced mobile Internet. Equipment is being supplied by Ericsson’s largest venture in China, Nanjing Ericsson Panda Communications Co. Network equipment delivery is set for completion next year.
State Dept. called decision to lift ban on export of satellite components to China “premature” as it denied recent Washington Post report that Bush Administration considered allowing the sale of spare parts for U.S.-made Black Hawk helicopters it purchased in 1984. There are other possible waiver cases pending, State official said: “We're not foreclosing those other possibilities… We're reviewing each case on its own merit, but there is a possibility of other waivers coming.” Bush will meet with Chinese President Jiang Zemin today (Oct. 19), but it was unknown whether specific sanctions might be discussed in continuing effort to ease tensions between countries so they could exchange intelligence in fight against terrorism. Members of satellite industry have faced stiff regulations on components aboard non-U.S. satellites since export licensing was moved to State Dept. from Commerce Dept. 2 years ago. Winning approval to launch from or export satellite components to China has been especially difficult. Predicting exactly what will happen when heads of 2 countries meet is “very hard,” Satellite Industry Assn. Pres. Richard Dalbello said: “There is a problem with the relationship between the U.S. and China and there are a number of key issues… If the overall climate with China gets better, more things become possible.” It isn’t “connect-the-dots” procedure in which U.S. waiving sanctions would lead directly to China’s sharing intelligence on Afghanistan or terrorists in that area, Dalbello said: “It’s not that mechanistic.” Source close to Loral, which had its export license suspended in 1998, said company “is not going to pin its hopes” on President’s 2-day meeting for battle it has fought for 2 years.
China Netcom Corp. (CNC) will partner with Equant to offer virtual private network (VPN) services in China. VPN data services will be offered to multinational businesses with regional subsidiaries or partners in China, they said. In first phase of buildout, CNC will connect 26 cities with services available over frame relay, asynchronous transfer mode and X.25 transmission protocols. CNC said it so far had completed first phase construction of national network with 12,000 km backbone and 40 Gbps capacity.
China Unicom awarded $38.4 million contract to Motorola to expand 800 MHz CDMA wireless networks in Hebei Province. New equipment will expand Motorola-supplied CMDA networks in China to 4.4 million by year-end, company said. Deal expands $407 million CMDA contract in May 2001 that covered 11 provinces including capital Beijing. China Unicom, 2nd largest carrier in country, plans to expand network to 60 million subscribers by 2005.
China Unicom subsidiary Shanghai Unicom and Lucent completed wireless voice and data calls in China using CDMA 1x technology. Lucent said it was first foreign vendor to carry out such demonstration in China of advanced wireless Web services, including wireless Internet browsing and video streaming. Event was done in Shanghai as part of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference. Lucent and Shanghai Unicom sent wireless data feeds using laptop computers and personal digital assistants at speeds up to 153 kbps.
Nokia won contract to provide General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) wireless equipment to China Mobile Communications Co. (CMCC) for its national network expansion, terms not disclosed. CMCC plans to expand its GPRS (2.5 generation network) to all 31 Chinese provinces from 16 now covered. Nokia said network upgrades would increase CMCC’s capacity to more than 2 million GPRS subscribers. Nokia said deliveries had begun and network was expected to begin operating in 4th quarter.
Nokia will supply broadband equipment to JiangSu Telecom, China, to expand DSL network that provides Internet access to 5 cities in JiangSu province, terms not disclosed. Rollout of network began in 2000, Nokia said.
Motorola reached agreement with China Mobile Communications to expand its General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network, terms not disclosed. Under contract, Motorola will implement its GPRS network solution in 7 Chinese provinces and municipalities -- Beijing, Hunan, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Sichuan, Tianjin, Zhejiang. Contract also calls for Motorola to upgrade China Mobile’s existing GSM networks in those places and 10 other provinces and municipalities. Companies said expansion was to be completed by year’s end. Project will increase network capacity in 7 areas covered under GPRS upgrade by up to 350,000 subscribers, companies said.