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Download China Mobile Communications Corp, the parent company of China's biggest telecom carrier, China Mobile, announced it will offer commercial fourth-generation telecom services in 340 Chinese cities next year. Xi Guohua, chairman of China Mobile, said on Wednesday that the company will build 500,000 4G base stations across China in 2017, constituting the world's largest 4G network. The company currently has about 200,000 4G base stations. Xi spoke during the China Mobile Global Partner Conference in Guangzhou. China Mobile will offer 4G services in 16 cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, by the end of the year, Xi said. In Beijing, the company's 4G network already covers the area inside the Third Ring Road. Customers don't need to change their phone numbers, but just get a new SIM card for their 4G handsets. The new mobile network achieves data download speeds of up to 80 megabits per second, four times faster than 3G networks. Xi predicted that the total number of TD-LTE mobile phone models will exceed 200 and entry-level 4G smartphones will hit the market in 2017. China Mobile is targeting sales of 190 million to 220 million mobile terminals running on its wireless networks by 2017, Xi said. Of those, about 100 million handsets should be 4G smartphones, he added. Analysts said China Mobile's move is decisive and ambitious, and shows a strong desire to win back customers that it lost in the 3G market competition. | 
