UTStarcom, Inc., a leader in IP access networking and services, today announced that it has won a contract with China Telecom Corporation (CTC) to deploy 220,000 lines of its AN-2000 IB IP-DSLAM solution. This contract follows a recent contract with CTC for a deployment of 200,000 lines in select provinces throughout China.

The deployment of these IP-DSLAM lines highlights a shift for China from ATM-based to IP-based DSLAM networks and a movement from narrowband to broadband, a major trend in China's wireline market. According to BDA, a leading Chinese industry research group, total broadband users in China have more than doubled in 2003, from five million to nearly 12 million users. In addition, the number of IP-DSLAM lines as a percentage of total DSLAM lines deployed in 2003 was approximately 15 percent, a significant increase from 2002. UTStarcom expects this percentage to increase to nearly 50 percent in 2004.