The State Administration of Radio Film and Television of China held a teleconference last week on China Mobile Multimedia Broadcasting, in which the administration clarified the direction for the future development of CMMB.

The conference marked the formal start for the construction and operation of CMMB in China and it also represents a new period in which the CMMB technology transits from technical tests to an operational stage.

SARFT says that the network coverage of CMMB should combine satellites with networks and adopt unified standards and nationwide roaming systems. The supporting systems should be able to meet the demand for the complex operation of varied CMMB services, forming a unified-operated and unified-managed new industrial operating mode.

This all actually means that the SARFT will seek a national reunification of the operating mode of CMMB, like what it has done with China's telecom industry.

At present, units directly under the SARFT have jointly invested and established a company called China Satellite Mobile Broadcasting Corporation, which is responsible for the network coverage extension of CMMB in China.