"The fee is close to the 2G services and now the key of the services are the TD-SCDMA handsets," said Sandy Shen, a Shanghai-based analyst at Gartner, a US-based IT research firm.

People care more about the available handset models, such as iPhone, than the kind of networks, Shen said.

Six handset firms provide the first batch of TD-SCDMA phones, including ZTE, Samsung and Lenovo.

More than 2,000 ZTE TD-SCDMA phones will be available in Shanghai, including a dual-model phone allowing users to retain their existing numbers to enjoy 3G services, according to Luo Zhongsheng, ZTE's TD-SCDMA terminal product division's general manager.

"The killer applications of TD-SCDMA includes mobile TV, video conferencing and handset stock services in China," Luo said.

Many areas in Shanghai, including the Pudong New Area and Metro lines 1 and 2, have TD-SCDMA signals.

Every China Mobile outlet in Shanghai will set up a 3G phone counter to sell 3G phones, an outlet officer told Shanghai Daily.

(Shanghai Daily March 28, 2008)