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China Telecom launches UK mobile network
04 January 2012
Everything Everywhere to provide infrastructure for MVNO aimed at Chinese tourists and business travellers in UK
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China Telecom
MVNO
Everything Everywhere
Orange
T-Mobile
Everything Everywhere, the UK mobile joint venture of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom, is to provide the infrastructure for China Telecom’s first mobile launch outside China.
The agreement marks the first time that a Chinese telecom operator has launched MVNO services outside China. In earlier interviews with Global Telecoms Business, China Telecom Europe managing director Ou Yan said such an MVNO would be aimed at business travellers and tourists from China as well as Chinese residents in the UK.
China Telecom says it selected Everything Everywhere and mobile aggregator Transatel based on the strength of Everything Everywhere’s shared T-Mobile and Orange network in the UK, and Transatel’s flexible MVNO platform.
Ou said: “We selected Everything Everywhere based on the strength of its network, and Transatel’s proven track record of getting MVNOs up and running quickly and efficiently. We are keen to launch the service in the UK as soon as possible as there is a real gap in the market for the provision of tailored mobile services and competitive tariffs aimed at the growing Chinese population in the UK.” China Telecom aims to launch the service before the end of the first quarter.
Marc Overton, vice president of wholesale and M2M at Everything Everywhere, said: “Everything Everywhere offers MVNO customers the biggest 3G network and widest 3G coverage in the UK, making us the partner of choice for MVNOs. We look forward to growing our partnership with China Telecom Europe in the future.”
In his earlier interview, Ou said that China Telecom wants to use the service to host Chinese content for a potential market of 600,000 people of ethnic Chinese origin in the UK as well as about 250,000 annual tourists expected by 2016. GTB
Further reading from Global Telecoms Business:
Everything Everywhere looks to use owners to build M2M business, says VP Marc Overton 27 December 2011
China Telecom 'to start MVNO in US' 09 Nov 2011
China Telecom plans mobile launch for Chinese community in ... 17 Aug 2011
China Telecom 'to offer MVNO in UK' 12 Jul 2011
Interview: Ou Yan of China Telecom Europe 26 Jul 2010