In order to speed up commercialization of homegrown third generation (3G) mobile phone standard, domestic 3G leader Datang has begun to develop dual SIM card mobile phones which could simultaneously supports TD-SCDMA and current GSM standard after it successfully developed TD-SCDMA mobile phones based on China's third generation standard.

The 3G leader announced January 16 that it has demonstrated in Shanghai the dual SIM card mobile phones. According to the company, the future homegrown 3G mobile phone can support 3G single SIM card, GSM singe SIM card and GSM/3G dual SIM card.

According to Datang, users can have two SIM cards in one mobile phone which will enable them to have two different numbers and keep the two mobile numbers work at the same time.

In the meanwhile, users can also send short messages and make phone calls to 3G and current GSM mobile phone users by using the newly developed dual SIM card mobile phones.

(People's Daily January 18, 2006)