Macau, China, 12 June– Telecommunications company, Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau (CTM) said Monday it would launch a third generation mobile service (3G) in Macau as of next week.

The announcement was made by the chief executive of CTM in Macau, Philip Green, during a ceremony to receive the 3G mobile telephone network supplied by Ericsson.

Green noted that CTM had already invested 163 million patacas in the project and expected to invest a further 400 million on developing 3G applications.

CTM hopes to attract a further 30,000 customers by the end of the first year and a half of the 3G service amongst a total 116,000 users of the CTM telecommunications network.

CTM currently has 3G roaming services for 15 countries and territories, a number which it expects to increase in the short term.

CTM, which is majority-owned by Cable & Wireless has the fixed-line monopoly in Macau and shares the mobile market with Hutchison Mobile and Smart Tone.

Although it does not have an exclusive license for Internet services, CTM has no competition in this segment.

Telecommunications companies, Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau, Hutchison Telephone (Macau) and China Unicom were granted licenses by the Macau government for third generation mobile phone operations.

China Unicom won the CDMA200 1X EV-DO platform license, while CTM and Hutchison competed for the WCDMA platform. (macauhub)