The virTual mobile neTwork secTor is opening up in china Business opportunities for finnish companies

the market for virtual mobile networks is opening up in china and private companies are now able to lease access to the country’s state-owned mobile network. to differentiate themselves from their competitors, licensees entering the market will need software, applications and solutions for business support.

china issued 11 virtual mobile network operator licenses in December 2013 and another eight licenses were issued to chinese companies in early 2014. additional licenses will be issued in the future. the operation of virtual mobile networks was not previously permitted, but china’s mobile communications market is now being opened up to private companies. smartphone ownership is expanding rapidly and growth in the mobile internet is a clear indication of consumers’ desire to use mobile services.

www.finpro.fi/web/english-pages/opportunities-worldwidewww.finpro.fi

chinese holders of licenses to operate virtual mobile networks come from varied backgrounds and range all the way from e-commerce giants to phone vendors and companies in the software, media and games sectors. companies operating virtual mobile networks need business support solutions such as customer relations management and billing systems. in the consumer sector, companies are aiming to differentiate their services and influence the choice of mobile operator by offering applications and games that add value. phone vendors’ store networks can also offer opportunities to sell both an operator’s mobile communication products and tie-in merchandise.

in the longer term, mobile network operators will target their offerings towards specific client segments. some of the larger licensees, for example, will target older people and their families by offering services and applications in which the focus is on wellness

monitoring and healthcare. the mobile healthcare segment is growing strongly in china: sales of different mobile healthcare services have grown by almost 18% since 2012.

even a small business deal in china can result in a significant increase in cashflow for a finnish company. finnish know-how regarding virtual mobile networks is highly valued and finns are experienced in mobile technology: finland was among the leaders in issuing licenses for virtual mobile networks to private companies. this good reputation and extensive know-how mean that finnish companies have a good competitive edge in chinese markets. understanding local business conditions, selecting the right partners and contacting the right decision makers are the key elements for successful business in china. finpro can help you seize these business opportunities.

Pietro Karjalainen Area Sales Manager pietro.karjalainen(a)finpro.fi+358 40 179 5755

www.finpro.fi

天音通信有限公司, China Telling Communications (subsidiary of Telling Telecom Holding (www.chinatelling.com)浙江连连科技有限公司, Lianlian Technology (www.lianlian.com)

北京乐语世纪科技集团有限公司 Funtalk Century Telecommunications Equipment Retail Chain (www.funtalk.cn) 北京华翔联信科技有限公司Beijing Huatong Telecom Co., Ltd (www.huaxiangtelecom.cn)

京东世纪贸易 Jingdong Century Trading (operator of B2C e-commerce platform Jingdong) (www.jd.com)北纬通信Bewinner Communications (www.bisp.com)中国万网HiChina Technology (subsidiary of e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group) (www.net.cn)迪信通Beijing Digital Telecom, D.Phone (www.dixintong.com)

SoShare在线网络技术SoShare Online Network Technology (www.soshare.com)巴士在线控股Bus Online Holding (www.busap.com)

话机世界Telephone World Group (www.zjhjsj.com)苏宁云商Suning Cloud Commercial (www.suning.com)国美电器Guomei Electrical Applicance (www.gome.com.cn)

爱施德股份有限公司Aisidi Stock Co., Ltd(www.aisidi.com)厦门三五互联科技股份有限公司Xiamen 35.com Technology Co., Ltd(www.35.com)苏州蜗牛数字科技股份有限公司Suzhou Snail Game Tech Co., Ltd (www.snailgame.net)

中期集团有限公司Cifco Investment Group Co. (www.cifco996.com)长江时代通信股份有限公司Yangzi River Time Communication Stock Co., (www.cjtc.net.cn)

远特(北京)通信技术有限公司Yuan Tel(Beijing) Communication Tech. Co. (www.yuantel.com)

virTual mobile neTwork license holders

www.finpro.fi/web/english-pages/opportunities-worldwide

Pietro Karjalainen Area Sales Manager pietro.karjalainen(a)finpro.fi+358 40 179 5755