LeTV buys 4G access and gives it to handset users for free

Online video provider LeTV Holdings Co Ltd is to give free fourth-generation mobile access to its smartphone buyers.

LeTV, which released its own-brand smartphone in April, said on Tuesday it has bought 12-month 4G contracts from China Unicom, at a cost of more than 770 million yuan.

Users of LeTV handsets will receive 6 gigabytes of 4G access monthly to watch videos on an online platform of the Beijing-based company. The service cannot be used on other sites and 3.6 million users will receive it.

Feng Xing, head of the smartphone division, said LeTV will have more partnerships with China Unicom, including selling LeTV-branded Internet televisions and smartphones in the carrier's outlets across the country.

LeTV is aiming to sell one million smartphones using China Unicom's marketing channel over the next 12 months.