Chinese telecom operator China Unicom (CHU) has opened a social networking services website called u-powerbook.com, targeting at the young users of its Up-Power brand.

Since China Mobile entered the Internet sector and set up its 139 Community, China Unicom has been planning its own SNS website. After the completion of its merger with China Netcom (CN), the company will start a large-scale promotion of this website. In fact, China Unicom started to prepare for the project at the beginning of 2008 and its focuses, like China Mobile's 139 Community, are the young mobile phone users in China. This website, which is recommended on the official website of China Unicom, is now undergoing a beta test.

With an interface which is similar with that of the international SNS Facebook.com, the community website of China Unicom integrates services and functions such as an email box, mobile phone instant messaging tool, real-name community and point-based shopping for users.

He Siyuan, CEO of Beijing Caizhi Futong Science and Technology Development and the person in charge of the development of China Unicom's SNS website, says that the website has already undergone three to four months of trials in Liaoning Province and more than 200,000 China Unicom's users have registered as its members. The trials will continue to be expanded to other areas in China, including Jiangxi Province.