$41 billion up for grabs
A long
delayed introduction of 3G in China has seen local and foreign IT
outfits falling over themselves fighting for more than $41 billion in
orders.
Names like Motorola, Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia-Siemens Networks
are all for fighting to get their feet in the trough as the rest of their
global demand falls. The largest Chinese carrier, China Mobile, expects to
sign up 100 million 3G subscribers, in the next three years so it makes any
deal incredibly lucrative.
But the foreign companies might have a
problem getting Chinas regulators to give them contracts over local
suppliers.
Domestically Huawei Technologies and ZTE, who have been selling
cost cost kit in Africa and Asia are likely to get a big chunk of the
business. Foreigners are likely to get less than half of China's 3G
orders.
Washington and the EU are pressing Beijing to abide by World Trade
Organization promises to treat foreign and domestic companies equally.