China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has selected 16 companies to supply 206,500 4G devices for its TD-LTE networks across the country.
Financial details of the tender were not disclosed.
Huawei is the biggest winner, being selected to supply devices in all category types, followed by ZTE.
According to an announcement China Mobile released on Wednesday, ten Chinese vendors including Huawei, ZTE, Datang and UTStarcom will provide a combined 150,000 units of MiFi wireless Wi-Fi modems.
Huawei and UTStarcom, together with Alcatel-Lucent Shanghai Bell and Dafu Computer (Changshu) Co Ltd will also supply the pool of 30,000 units of data cards.
Huawei, ZTE and Dafu Computer (Changshu) Co Ltd will also provide 20,000 units of CPE.
Six vendors - including Huawei, ZTE, Samsung and Sony Mobile - will provide 5000 handsets and 1500 phone modules.
The tender is the second phase of China Mobile’s 4G device procurement.
As well as the terminals, China Mobile is also stepping up the build-out of its 4G network by commencing its long-awaited equipment tender last month. The operator plans to deploy 207,000 TD-LTE base stations in 31 provinces across the country.
As part of its 4G push, the mobile giant has also revealed plans to launch commercial voice over LTE (VoLTE) service next year.
China Mobile CEO Li Yue said the company aims to begin testing the technology by fourth quarter of this year, followed by a large-scale field trial in the first half of 2014.