Telecom giant shifts towards e-commerce

China Mobile Ltd, the world's biggest telecom operator by subscriber, aims to sell up to 30 percent of its customized mobile phones via e-commerce channels over the next three years, according to a high-level official in the company.

Ma Jingxin, deputy general manager of China Mobile Terminal Co, a mobile phone subsidiary of China Mobile, said the company is about to launch a self-operated, online mobile phone store to help boost handset sales. But he did not disclose the specific date.

Previously, China Mobile had opened a flagship store in Tmall.com, China's biggest business-to-customer e-commerce website.

Established in April 2011, Ma said China Mobile Terminal had sold almost 30 million mobile phones so far. China Mobile usually purchases large quantities of handsets from different mobile phone manufacturers and offers subsidies for those devices.

shenjingting@chinadaily.com.cn