China Telecom seeking to expand into US consumer market, eyes 2012 launch

In preference to resting on its laurels as China’s third-largest wireless provider, China Telecom is now seeking to branch out into relatively uncharted waters — namely, the united states consumer market. In a contemporary interview with Bloomberg, Donald Tan, president of China Telecom Americas, confirmed that his company plans to bring its own branded wireless service to pick US markets next year, within the hopes of capitalizing at the large Chinese communities and consumer bases scattered around the country. Consistent with Tan, the proposed service would supply customers with handsets that may be utilized in both China and the usa, theoretically appealing to Chinese-Americans, students or businessmen who travel frequently between both countries. The exec didn’t reveal much within the way of pricing, saying only that it’d be “competitive,” though he did acknowledge that the service is already undergoing trials with several unnamed wholesale partners. If the trial goes swimmingly, he added, China Telecom may expand it to Canada, besides, and would even consider purchasing or constructing its own network within the States (pending FCC approval, for sure). The provider, which has already been marketing its services to US corporations for a decade, also has the capacity to spend “hundreds of millions or billions” on stateside acquisitions, though none are currently at the table. “We wish some acquisitions within the U.S. and other countries in this continent,” Tan explained. “It is a very quick thanks to growth.”