Shanghai Mobile Communications Company (SMCC), which boasts some 4 million subscribers, has reported a 50-percent growth annually during the past two years.

During the January-June period, the company invested 6 billion yuan (about US$723 million) to enhance its network. Its network capacity expanded from 3 million lines at the end of last year to the present 6.4 million lines, and is expected to expand to 9 million by the end of the year.

Sources say that by October 1, Shanghai's subscribers will be able to communicate effectively via cell phones in all subway stations and trains, and quality of their mobile phone communication will be improved significantly in former blind areas like the airports, conference halls, elevators, basements and the monumental Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

Meanwhile, SMCC has offered more personalized services to the mobile phone users, ranging from securities and banking services to mobile offices.

Starting from July, SMCC put on trial the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technology, featured by permanent on-line services with customers charged according to the volume of data flow. The GPRS tryout in Shanghai has attracted more mobile phone subscribers, who can send E-mails, surf the net, play on-line games and work wherever they want via cell phone.

(China Daily 08/09/2001)