Unicom Li gang: Mainland operators only to sell the iphone 4 legal

The November 23 News, on the IPhone 4 sales and service issues, China Unicom deputy general manager Li Gang in an interview that only Unicom and Apple have a formal iphone 4 licensing agreement, and by Unicom and Apple together to make the iphone 4 access to the Ministry of Commerce import license, so Only Unicom to sell the iphone 4 is legal.

Only Unicom has the iphone 4 legally authorized

Since the iphone 4 began selling at the end of September, the iphone 4, originally sold by Unicom, has been "changed" into multi-channel, with other operators ' local subsidiaries announcing the iphone 4 clipping service, providing exclusive customer service for iphone 4 users, and even claiming to offer the iphone 4 package.

"China Unicom has so far been the only operator in the mainland to co-operate with Apple and the only authorized operator of the iphone, including the iphone 4," said Li Gang, deputy general manager of 3G Marketing at China Unicom in the afternoon of November 22, facing the iphone 4 sales channel and service mess.

He made no mention of other operators, but insisted that the iphone 4 should be sold in accordance with the law and that Apple would naturally sell bare-metal, but it is only legitimate for mainland Chinese operators to sell the iphone 4 and its contract plans in the mainland.

He cited three things to illustrate this point: "First, any mobile phone terminal products to the state Ministry of the Department of the issuance of network permits, Apple iphone 4 in China will also be issued a network license, which is Apple's own application; Import each iphone 4 mobile phone, Unicom will levy a 17% value-added tax, import license and mobile phone number to the right, other operators can sell, at a glance; third, only Unicom and Apple signed a formal licensing agreement on the sale of the iphone 4, in addition to Apple itself can sell bare metal, Only the channels authorized by Unicom and China Unicom can sell the iphone 4.

December 1 began to implement the control card separation

"Irregular sales are unfair and the entire industry is messed up," he said. We still have to maintain the industry environment, "Li Gang said.

Li Gang's allusion to the industry turmoil is clearly not aimed at parallel imports, and it is clear to everyone that he is saying that parallel imports of the iphone 4 are not directly threatening to attract high-end users.

Earlier, on the weekend, China Unicom announced that it will be in the new iphone contract plans to launch a card in the new policy, if the contract is found that the mobile phone and card is not bundled use, that is, the phenomenon of the dismantling of the package, the link will be entitled to the contract plan to freeze deposits.

In this connection, Li Gang gave a specific timetable: December 1 will implement the New Deal, IPhone 4 contract users if the card separation, do not use Unicom card, will freeze charges.

Regarding the implementation of the New deal, he made it clear that it was forced to do so at first, because it did not take into account the vicious competition, but it is not difficult to implement it: any genuine IPhone 4 has a code of identification, where it can be found, as long as it does not use the Unicom network can also be monitored.

"Last year we started talking to Unicom about the introduction of the iphone and the negotiation process was very hard," Li said, recalling that the new deal is clearly an important step in China Unicom's self-protection.

Market must be regulated

"Subscribers to the iphone contract plan are only bundled with the Internet to make use of it to regulate the market," Li said.

He is also proud of Unicom's 3G network, "This is the world's largest and most perfect WCDMA network, in China, Unicom 3G coverage and experience is also the best, good terminals must be equipped with excellent network."

He also said the iphone 4 is in short supply, so unicom gives priority to 3G users, "If you're just using the phone, you don't need the iphone 4."

He finally said, "a business needs to know what is legal, what is illegal, someone authorized you to sell, not your products, you have to provide services, it is inconceivable"