CHIAN'S new 3G phones have premiered in Shanghai for a week and the first batch of consumers have found problems including short battery life, less-than-expected network signal coverage and high fees for data services.
Many people, however, say they will be willing to purchase the new and improved TD-SCDMA (time division-synchronous code division multiple access) phones later.
The "guinea pigs," the first batch of 3G trial commercial users, said the TD-SCDMA phone and related spaces have room to improve.
"The battery only works for one day after each charge, much less than my previous Nokia phone," reported journalist Irene Zhou, who paid 2,800 yuan (US$400) for a Samsung TD-SCDMA phone.
Zhou, who often takes out-of-town business trip, expects a phone battery to last for about three days.
The coverage of TD-SCDMA network, which allows users to assess high-speed Internet, was also not satisfying, according to an LG 3G phone user surnamed Wan.
"The speed is impressive but the signal is not stable. It means nothing if you can't receive the signal," said Wan.
The TD-SCDMA signal offers coverage within the city's Outer Ring Road, at the airports, around the Formula One circuit and hotels, and along Metro lines, according to China Mobile's local branch.
Steven, who identified himself as an IT expert, complained he was not able to access TD-SCDMA networks but only able to use 2G networks. He went to his China Mobile local outlet three days later after the purchase and received a new ZTE TD-SCDMA phone.
"It's not a wise idea to be a guinea pig if it's not necessary," said Steven, who works for a game development firm and purchased the phone to test games on 3G networks.
China Mobile has launched high-data 3G services in eight cities including Guangzhou and Beijing from April 1. In Shanghai, the carrier will sell the phones in 164 outlets, with the first batch expected to number about 10,000 units during the trial.
China Mobile displayed the eye-catching functions such as mobile stock quotes, video calling and TV on the 3G handsets. During a video-calling demonstration, callers could clearly see each other but image quality was obviously lost if they were moving.
"The handset model is the key," said Sandy Shen, a Gartner's analyst based in Shanghai. "Users will see the models rather than the kind of networks."
Limited variety
Dimitri Kaczmarek, who works for a finance firm in Shanghai, complained about the limited variety of models (only six models were available in Shanghai) though he was interested in "high-speed data services such as faster e-mail."
Kevin He, however, did not wait to buy a 3G phone - more models will be available later like the Coolpad model on display but not for sale. "It's cool to have a 3G phone," said He, who bought a Lenovo 3G phone, "After all, it's a 3G phone and it will make you shine."
Other vendors, like Nokia and Dopod, are scheduled to introduce TD-SCDMA phones in the middle of this year.
Dopod's TD-SCDMA phone will feature strong multi-media functions and smart applications with a powerful battery, Paul Hsu, Dopod's chief operations officer, said.
Nokia, which provided 3G phones in WCDMA (Wideband-CDMA) networks in overseas markets, and Dopod will make more attractive TD-SCDMA models as they know the demand of high-end clients, industry insiders said.
For one or two years, 3G phones will only be popular among the high-end s?egment of the market, according to CCID Consulting, a Beijing-based research firm.
Users can choose packages costing from 28 yuan for 150 minutes to 88 yuan for 600 minutes.
During the trial, users enjoy a 50-percent fee discount, which makes 3G costs close to 2G services, according to China Mobile.