A Japanese company announced Thursday that it has developed a testing machine to simulate a mobile phone network that will help speed the final testing of China's home-grown 3G technology called TD-SCDMA.

The machine can be used to test TD-SCDMA terminals without the use of system equipment and will save time and money, said Toda Hiromichi with the Anritsu Corporation.

China is bracing to build a third generation (3G) mobile phone network that will be based on TD-SCDMA technology that will have to vie with differing technologies being developed in other countries.

Network licenses are expected to be granted to mobile phone providers in China by the end of this year.

The first TD-SCDMA network simulation machine will help bring the technology closer to commercial use, said Yang Hua, secretary-general of TD-SCDMA Industrial Alliance.

Before the testing machine was available TD-SCDMA had to be tested using real system equipment products, which was costly and time consuming.

Due to China's large market and its government support, more international companies are jumping on board.

"We will strive to invest more to develop testing products related to TD-SCDMA," said Hiromichi with Anritsu.

(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2006)