Zhejiang Unicom: Modern Telecommunications Technology Leader

By WU XINYI

Sending and receiving a voice message rather than a short text message over a cell phone.

SINCE its founding, Zhejiang Unicom has been on a crusade to break the telecommunications monopoly and promote Zhejiang Province's reform and development of its telecom industry. This has had a beneficial affect on telecom businesses in general, promoting prosperity throughout the industry. As a result, users have more choices and enjoy first-class service.

Modern Technology Leader

Zhejiang Unicom was a relative latecomer to the province's mobile telecom industry. On starting out, its network was small and coverage limited. Its advantages of low prices and good service were quickly subsumed by great changes that took place in the mobile telecom market. The problem of how to win consumers and beat rivals was solved with the introduction and operation of CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access).

Various countries are adopting third-generation mobile technology within which CDMA 1X is the most mature and widely accepted. In April 2003, Zhejiang Unicom launched its CDMA 1X network, which assures clarity of voice and minimum radiation. Its average speed of 80 kbps, and the maximum 153.6 kbps, also brings to its subscribers the thrill of wireless broadband surfing.

China Unicom has always played the role of technological leader. To solve the question of roaming between GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) and CDMA networks, China Unicom developed the CDMA-GSM dual-mode system.

In the face of fierce competition within Zhejiang's telecom market, Zhejiang Unicom works on China Unicom's operating principle of: "Taking mobile service as the mainstay, proficiency comes first for comprehensive development, coordination of two networks, and handling divergent operations, making us bigger and stronger." CDMA, whose market orientation is "business, entertainment, health and fashion," has been popularized on a large scale in the process of industrial application of its unique wireless data service.

Communications Change People's Lives

A view phone lets subscribers talk face-to-face.

If a car needs more gasoline, its driver needs to know where the nearest gas station is; when taking transportation, people want to travel by the shortest route; and when a traffic jam occurs, motorists want to avoid it. Zhejiang Unicom's CDMA 1X handset GPS service meets all these needs.

In April 2003, Zhejiang Unicom launched its Unicom limitless, color-e, interactive vision, and handset broadband services, based on the CDMA 1X network strong technical support and high speed data transmission.

Zhejiang Unicom has also launched diversified services. Subscribers to its Ruyi 133 prepaid card service enjoy flexible billing and basically the same services as postpaid users. Voice SMS (short messaging system) lets GSM and CDMA users send voice messages as they would text messages. Instead of keying characters into the handset, a voice SMS user simply dials service code 10158 and talks into the phone. The receiver may then listen to rather than read a short message.

"Dual technological and commercial strength has taken Zhejiang Unicom to the stage of differentiation competition, and our advantages are obvious," says Zhu Ping, general manager of Zhejiang Unicom.

In April 2003, Zhejiang Unicom's multi-service platform UniONE was established, providing multiple services including voice, data, Internet, visual conference, view phone, and mobile data transmission. During the SARS period of 2003, its visual conference system and view phone service played a vital role in local communications. Simple and practical services, such as the global positioning system, are also available to Zhejiang Unicom users, providing convenience in many aspects.

Services and Benefits

Zhejiang Unicom is a committed green telecom enterprise.

Cell phones are apt Valentine's Day gifts for lovers.

It took the lead in publishing its Green Book and Zhejiang Unicom Green Service Declaration, and starting its Green Sincere Billing Project and Green Environmentally Friendly Telecom Evaluation Project. It has designated 2004 as Year of Green Service.

Zhejiang Unicom has greatly improved the management of its call center that now has nearly 1,000 employees. Its connection rate has reached 99 percent, the response to clients' complaints is 100 percent, and the satisfaction rate is 98 percent.

Major Zhejiang Unicom clients enjoy five-star services provided by its star-rated client club. On birthdays, Zhejiang Unicom provides a housekeeping service on preferential terms, and gives physical checkups on demand.

In the past, when telecom subscribers hit problems they had no idea whom to go to. Nowadays the client manager goes directly to them to provide whatever service they need. In the past subscribers had to go to a business hall to pay their bills, whereas now all they need to do is send a short message. Those with large bills enjoy VIP treatment at the airport, and on birthdays Zhejiang Unicom sends them flowers and a birthday cake. Consumers are highly appreciative of this first-class service-with-a-smile.