China had 25.2 million users of third-generation mobile wireless technology at the end of June, lagging behind the government’s target because the country’s mobile carriers had problems with network coverage and supplying suitable handsets for the services, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said Tuesday.
China’s three telecommunications giants are in a race to recruit users of their 3G services, which allow faster data downloads and attract higher fees. Each of the three companies uses its own 3G standard, with China Mobile Ltd. (CHL), the country’s largest mobile company by subscribers, promoting a locally developed standard.
China’s 3G users have increased from 18.08 million at the end of March, but Zhang Feng, director of the ministry’s telecommunications development department, said during a news briefing that the end-June figure was “still far from the expected target.”
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