About Us   Jobs   Contact Us      


 
Google  

China Telecom to Pay $15.9 Bln for Unicom's CDMA
    2008-06-02 17:16:31     Bloomberg/CRIENGLISH.com

Related: Telecom Giants Announce Regrouping Details

China Telecommunications Corp., the country's biggest fixed-line phone company, will pay 110 billion yuan ($15.9 billion) for part of China United Telecommunications Corp.'s mobile-phone assets in a government industry revamp.

China Telecommunications will buy China United's code- division multiple access network for 66.2 billion yuan, and will pay 43.8 billion yuan for its subscribers, the fixed-line carrier said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange Monday. Trading of the company's shares, suspended in Hong Kong since May 23, will resume Tuesday, the China Telecom said.

The fixed- line company, which is losing users to China Mobile Ltd., will enter the faster-growing wireless market as the government attempts to foster greater competition.

The deals are part of the government's planned reorganization of the $105 billion telecommunications industry announced on May 24, allowing fixed-line carriers to expand into wireless services and creating three operators offering phone and Internet connections to the nation's 1.3 billion people.

China Unicom's CDMA business had a pretax profit of 1.2 billion yuan last year, compared with 1.06 billion yuan in 2006.

Meanwhile, China Unicom Ltd. is acquiring fixed-line China Netcom Group Corp. in a share swap valued at $56.3 billion, based on Unicom's stock last traded price.

The companies said in a statement Monday that each existing China Netcom share will be swapped for 1.508 new China Unicom shares.

The two steps taken by China Unicom Monday are part of the government's proposal to reorganize the country's telecommunications industry.

Under the plan, fixed-line operator China Netcom, which dominates the northern China market, will get China Unicom's mobile network and users based on GSM technology via the merger.

The fixed-line carrier China Telecom will buy the CDMA mobile phone network from China Unicom, the Ministry of Industry and Information said in a statement on May 24.

China Mobile Communications Corp, the state-owned parent of China Mobile, will take control of fixed-line carrier China Tietong Telecommunications Corp, the ministry said.

After the revamp, China will issue three licenses for third-generation high-speed mobile services.

Shares of China Unicom, China Telecom and China Netcom have been suspended from trading in Hong Kong since May 23.

 
         Bookmark and Share
Recommend


CRIENGLISH.com claims the copyright of all material and information produced originally by our staff. All rights reserved. Reproduction of text for non-commercial purposes only is permitted provided that both the source and author are acknowledged and a notifying email is sent to us.

CRIENGLISH.com holds neither liability nor responsibility for materials attributed to any other source. Such information is provided as reportage and dissemination of information but does not necessarily reflect the opinion of or endorsement by CRI.

Also on our site
China | World
• Russian Natural Gas Supplies to Balkans Halted
• Three Israeli Soldiers Killed in Friendly Fire in Gaza
• Polanski's Lawyers Seek to Have Sex Case Dismissed
• Foreign Journalists still Not Allowed into Gaza
• US VP-elect Joe Biden to Visit Pakistan
• China Curbs Overseas Trips on Public Expense
Business | Sports | SciTech
• China Issues Long-awaited 3G Licenses
• Wahaha, Danone Start Trademark Arbitration
• GM Reports 31 Percent Sales Decline in U.S. Market
• Call for More Overseas Talents
• Bulgarian Figure Skating Champion Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison
• China's Mission to Mars Set for Take-off
Life | Showbiz
• A Seemingly Endless Scandal
• Asian Art Top Show Kicks off in Beijing
• Behind-the-Scene Photos of "Look for a Star"
• Universal Pictures Movies Set New B.O. Record in 2008
• Tan Dun's Deep Pool of talent
• Top 10 Shows in 2008 
Webcast  
• China Drive, Afternoon, 2009-01-07
• China Drive, Afternoon, 2009-01-06
• China Drive, Morning, 2009-01-06
• Official Property Declaration System
• India handed over evidence of Mumbai attacks to Pakistan
• EU delegation holds talks to push for a cease-fire in Gaza
• Mubarak Meets with EU Troika on Gaza Situation
• Bush says any Gaza ceasefire must stop Hamas rocket fire
 
View the Messages