China may allow sales of WLAN-enabled handsets at end of 2009
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is expected to lift the ban on sales of handsets with WLAN functions in the China market at the end of 2009 or the beginning of 2010, a policy to promote fixed-mobile convergence in line with the development of 3G mobile communications, according to industry sources in Taiwan.
Initially, WLAN-enabled handsets will be allowed to support only China's home-grown WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure) standard, with the policy likely to be eased further to also support Wi-Fi technology, the sources indicated.
China-based CDMA operator China Telecom has moved to support integrated CDMA/WLAN network systems and has already launched CDMA/WAPI dual-mode handsets, said the sources, noting that China Mobile, a TD-SCDMA service operator, is also promoting Internet access services through WLAN (WAPI).
It is highly possible that China Unicom, a WCDMA network operator, will follow suit and support WLAN technology, the sources added.
Initially, WLAN-enabled handsets will be allowed to support only China's home-grown WAPI (WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure) standard, with the policy likely to be eased further to also support Wi-Fi technology, the sources indicated.
China-based CDMA operator China Telecom has moved to support integrated CDMA/WLAN network systems and has already launched CDMA/WAPI dual-mode handsets, said the sources, noting that China Mobile, a TD-SCDMA service operator, is also promoting Internet access services through WLAN (WAPI).
It is highly possible that China Unicom, a WCDMA network operator, will follow suit and support WLAN technology, the sources added.
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