Xiao Wei, general manager of China Telecom's (NYSE: CHA; 0728.HK) E-Surfing mobile literature base, has disclosed to Tencent Tech in an exclusive interview that China Telecom has reached 50 mln mobile literature users, with 18 mln monthly active users and daily pageviews reaching 40 mln. Xiao added that China Telecom has set a target of 100 mln mobile literature users by the end of this year, and expects the business to break even in 2013 and afterward achieve profitability.

In August 2011, China Telecom released its "E-Surfing Mobile Literature Audio Edition" mobile application, which reached 10.52 mln broadcasts and 3 mln users by March 2012. The platform offers content in 11 categories and 31 sub-categories, ranging from novels to monologues, comedy routines, ghost stories, and literary classics.

The mobile literature base currently offers third-party partners a 45% revenue share, with China Telecom taking the remainder. In response to questions regarding fee policies, Xiao said the base's initial development required expanding its userbase by adopting a free content strategy, and 40% of content is still available free of charge. But in terms of the healthy development of the industry, Xiao said it's unlikely that content would remain free in the long run. Prices for paid content currently range from RMB 1-8, with most items between RMB 2-5, but currently prices are still quite low.

Source:marbridgeconsulting