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China does 4G world-first
Shanghai surprise...

By Reuters

Published: Monday 29 January 2007

China has launched the world's first fourth-generation standard, despite still working on its long-delayed homegrown 3G wireless standard, according to state media.

Data-rich 3G telephony - which allows high-speed transmission of data and images - is not yet available in mainland China.

But a group of 10 "leading domestic institutions" called the "FuTURE Project" on Sunday rolled out 4G in Shanghai, the official China Daily reported.

China aims to hold field tests for the 4G system - whose rollout has cost 150m yuan ($19.3m) and will allow data transmission at up to 100Mbps, several times faster than current technology - and put it into trial commercial use up until 2010, the paper added.

Most analysts expect China's long-anticipated issue of third-generation licences to begin later this year.