MIIT: Operators' 2012 WLAN Capex to Exceed RMB 3 Bln
CCTime, 2/24/12
The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's (MIIT) Department of Industrial Policies recently estimated that China's three telecom operators will invest a combined total of over RMB 3 bln in WLAN equipment in 2012. In 2011, the three operators - China Mobile (NYSE: CHL; 0941.HK), China Telecom (NYSE: CHA; 0728.HK), and China Unicom (NYSE: CHU; 0762.HK; 600050.SH) - invested approximately RMB 1.8 bln on WLAN equipment. As of the end of June 2011, China Mobile had deployed over 1 mln WLAN access points (APs). On January 29, 2012, China Mobile began accepting tender offers for 1.29 mln AP devices. In 2012, China Telecom plans to expand the number of E-Surfing Wi-Fi hotspots to reach 1 mln, 3 times the figure it reported having in mid-2011.
Editor's Note: As of early May last year, China Telecom reported it had already deployed 300,000 Wi-Fi hotspots. For more information on this topic, please see "China Telecom to Deploy 1 Mln Wi-Fi Hotspots by 2012," MD 5/10/11 issue, and "China Mobile Begins 1.3 Mln Unit WLAN Equipment Tender," 1/30/12 issue.
Keywords: capex national statistics China Telecom China Mobile China Unicom wireless Wi-Fi WLAN MIIT CHL 0728.HK 0762.HK 0941.HK 600050.SH CHA CHU wireless networking
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