China Mobile to build world's largest 4G network

China Mobile announced on Tuesday that it plans to deploy the world's biggest 4G LTE network in China this year, covering more than a billion people.

During a keynote speech at the Global TD-LTE Initiative summit in Barcelona, the vice-chairman of China Mobile said homegrown TD-LTE technology is gaining popularity across the world as the industry matures, and the company will build the world's biggest 4G network this year.

Li Zhengmao, Vice-chairman of China Mobile, said, "In 2013, China Mobile plans to build a TD-LTE 4G network which will cover more than 100 cities in China, and we will acquire more than one million TD-LTE terminals."

China Mobile is now conducting large-scale trials of TD-LTE networks in 13 major Chinese cities. The company constructed 20 thousand TD-LTE base stations and expects to expand the figures by tenfold this year.

TD-LTE is also being deployed worldwide, and there were 14 TD-LTE commercial networks deployed as of February, providing services for millions of consumers.

Mobile phone vendors LG Electronics, HTC, Huawei Technologies and ZTE have partnered with China Mobile to launch four models of TD-LTE smartphones. Analysts expect the Chinese government to issue 4G licenses in the second half of this year.