MIIT confirms 4G licence timetable

A senior MIIT official has confirmed the Chinese government aims to issue 4G licences by the end of the year.

At the ministry's half-yearly press conference today, Zhu Jun, the deputy head of the MIIT’s communications department, acknowledged the recent State Council decision on 4G but did not elaborate. He said the  licences would be issued “at the appropriate time."

Zhu said LTE trial networks in 15 cities had already been built out and spectrum had already been allocated, Xinhua reported.

The next step would to prepare the number resources, equipment certification and industry standards required for the licence issue, he said.