By the end of March 2014, China had built over 250,000 4G base stations, representing a solid step for 4G development in the country.
Commenting on 4G wireless development, Liu Jie, deputy director of the Bureau of Telecommunication Administration at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that with the rapid development of mobile communications networking technologies, the mobile Internet sector is also becoming a hot spot and focus for investment.
Liu highlighted that after the experiment of TD-LTE network technologies was successful and the various industrial conditions became mature, MIIT issued 4G operating licenses to the three major Chinese telecom carriers in April 2013. At present, the three telecom carriers are all actively promoting 4G network construction. Meanwhile, the entire 4G mobile communications industrial chain, covering system equipment, terminal chips, and mobile software, achieved fast development.
The issuance of Chinese 4G licenses stimulated the rapid development of the entire industry; however, China's 4G development still faces difficulties and challenges. Liu said that MIIT, along with other related Chinese ministries, is currently taking action to support and promote 4G industrial development and network construction and optimization, aiming to improve industrial chain and network service level, enhance user service quality, enrich business applications, encourage information consumption, and effectively boost demand.