China Telecom aims to expand its FDD LTE network to cover 95% of the nation's population by the end of the year, Chinese media are reporting.
The company now has the world's largest FDD LTE network and aims to have 460,000 base stations in operation by the end of the year, Want China Times reported, citing a Beijing-based online telecom news portal.
According to the reports, China Telecom is also aiming to commercialize VoLTE by the end of 2017, once its 4G coverage reaches the same level as its 3G network. Verification testing will commence this year and the bulk of VoLTE construction will start next year.
China Telecom has invested around 40 billion yuan ($6.4 billion) in its FDD LTE network since being approved to commence hybrid FDD/TDD LTE network trials in an initial 16 cities June last year.
The company only secured a full nationwide FDD LTE license earlier this year, as did rival China Unicom.
The reports state that China Telecom plans to have invested over 100 billion yuan in FDD-LTE networks within two to three years.