China jumps to 4G

DESPITE A FAIR bit of trouble with getting 3G off the ground, China has just launched the world's very first 4G standard, reports Reuters.

3G telephony devices are still not yet available in mainland China, so it comes as somewhat a surprise that the country has skipped right to the 4G system. The fourth generation standard was developed by ten "leading domestic institutions" calling themselves collectively the "FuTURE Project," with 4G field tests apparently coming soon to the mainland.

The rollout has cost about 150 million yuan - that's a hefty $19.3 million - and will supposedly give way to data transmission of up to 100 megabytes per second. Trial commercial use is expected up until 2010, according to the China Daily.

While China readies itself for 4G introduction, 3G is still on the cards eventually, with 3G licenses expected to be chucked about later this year. µ