China launches 4G before 3G off the ground
China, still working on its long-delayed homegrown third-generation wireless standard, has leapfrogged itself by launching the world's first fourth-generation standard, state media said on Monday.
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.
China aims to hold field tests for the 4G system -- whose rollout has cost $19.3 million; and will allow data transmission at up to 100 megabutes per second, several times faster than current technology -- and put it into trial commercial use up until 2010.
China's long-anticipated and long-delayed issue of third-generation licenses is expected later this year by most analysts.
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