COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 30, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The CDMA Development Group (CDG) (www.cdg.org) is pleased to announce that China Unicom received one of the first 3G spectrum licenses in China, in the region of Macau. China Unicom is expected to deploy CDMA2000(r) 1xEV-DO technology in this densely populated region, further confirming CDMA2000's rapid expansion across China. The 3G license was issued on October 24, 2006, by the Bureau of Telecommunications Regulation of Macau.
"The CDG is pleased that China Unicom plans to expand its CDMA2000 service into Macau," said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. "This is another example of how a world-class operator can take advantage of CDMA2000's performance, flexibility, handset selection, and two-to-three year lead over competing technologies."
China represents one of the fastest growth markets for CDMA2000. By September 2006, the total number of CDMA2000 1X subscribers reached 36.1 million. The monthly net addition of CDMA users for that month was 340,000, and 670,000 new handsets were sold. The average revenue per user (ARPU) generated from China Unicom's CDMA2000 network is approximately 68 RMB (US$8.60), which is 30% higher than the ARPU they generate from GSM. Once CDMA2000 1xEV-DO broadband data services become available, China Unicom's subscriber growth is expected to increase substantially.
"We are pleased to have been awarded a 3G license to operate CDMA2000 1xEV-DO in Macau," remarked Dr. Zhengmao Li, Director of the Board and Vice President, China Unicom. "We look forward to serving our valued customers in this region with the latest CDMA2000 technology and advanced mobile broadband services."
In some markets, operators report that their 1xEV-DO subscriptions are growing at a rate of 230% per year and that wireless broadband subscribers spend 2 times more on data and 40-60% more overall than average cellular users. More than 36 million people around the globe are paying for CDMA2000 1xEV-DO broadband data services. These services are currently being offered by 52 operators in 33 countries, and 8 more 1xEV-DO networks are being deployed.
CDMA2000 is capable of enabling the full spectrum of telecommunications from satisfying the demand for telephone service in the sparsely populated rural areas of China to meeting the increasing demand for wireless broadband connectivity in its densely populated urban centers, such as Macau.
More information on CDMA2000 is available at www.cdg.org.
About CDMA2000
CDMA2000 is the most widely deployed 3G technology, with 178 operators in 76 countries, including 52 CDMA2000 1x-EV-DO systems, serving more than 275 million subscribers. Counting 2G cdmaOne(tm) subscribers, there are more than 335 million CDMA2000 users worldwide. CDMA2000 has become the technology of choice for cdmaOne, TDMA, analog and greenfield operators, and is deployed in the 450, 800, 1700, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands. Nearly 1,460 CDMA2000 devices have been introduced to the market by more than 80 suppliers, including 350 1xEV-DO devices. More information on CDMA2000 is available on the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
About CDG
The CDMA2000 Development Group is a trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of CDMA2000 technologies. The more than 130 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless carriers and equipment manufacturers. The primary activities of the CDG include development of CDMA2000 features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently, there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittees on CDMA2000-related matters. For more information about the CDG, contact the CDG News Bureau at +1-714-540-1030, or visit the CDG Web site at www.cdg.org.
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