According to Hong Kong media reports, Chinese mainland's telecom restructuring has not affected China Unicom (CHU) in expanding CDMA service and the company may get Hong Kong's CDMA2000 based 3G license as early as the end of this year.

The reports say that China Unicom has offered such big incentives as providing an annual minimum HK$30 million roaming fee income and reducing its outsourcing equipment costs by half to invite Hong Kong local operators to be its bidding partners for this license. China Unicom has invited Hutchison, Chengdian Group and Wharf T&T to submit a cooperation plan after Office of the Telecommunications Authority in Hong Kong formally issues a detailed rule on CDMA2000 license issuance.

CDMA2000 will be the fifth 3G license for Hong Kong. At present, the existing four 3G licenses of the SAR are respectively held by GSL, PCCW, SmarTone and Hutchison.