China Unicom to Provide Long-distance Alternative

　　China unicom is expected to begin offering its long-awaited long-distance phone service both domestically and internationally later this year, Business Weekly reported On October 17.

　　"By the end of this year, we will provide long-distance phone services in the country's more than 20 cities, both domestically and internationally," Tan Xinghui, general manager of planning and marketing with China Unicom, said.

　　The business expansion, if implemented as envisioned, will eventually make China Unicom a major force in the telecom services sector.

　　China Unicom is expected to benefit from the split up of the China Telecom monopoly into three independent operations including mobile phones, fixed phones and satellite services later this year.

　　China Unicom currently operates paging, mobile phone, Internet access, IP (Internet Protocol) phone and limited local fixed-phone services.

　　Chinese customers will have to remember two sets of regional codes with the new service. They have become used to dialing only one phone code during past decades.

　　China Unicom is authorized to conduct local fixed-phone business in Tianjin, Chongqing and Sichuan only.

　　"We will mainly rely on China Telecom's fixed-phone network to provide long-distance services," said Tan.

　　Since China Telecom, which controls the fundamental fixed-phone network, is reluctant to co-operate with China Unicom, the company has faced great difficulties in developing inter-connections across the country.

　　Tan said China Unicom plans to lease part of mobile capacity from China Mobile Communication Corp, the most profitable arm separating from China Telecom.

　　"We are in negotiation and it will benefit the two sides since some of China Mobile's network capacity is idle," said Tan.

　　The company's Internet business will also begin later this year.

　　Tan said a key plan involves co-operating with Internet service and content providers. (Xinhua)