China Mobile License Paves Way for World’s Largest 4G Network

China Mobile, the world’s biggest phone company, received a license to start commercial service on the largest fourth-generation wireless network as it tries to attract smartphone users seeking faster downloads.

China Mobile and two smaller state carriers got 4G licenses, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said. The government didn’t say when services using the TD-LTE standard will begin. Starting services on its 4G network may help China Mobile add users by winning over handset makers that hadn’t previously supported its homegrown 3G standard, including Apple. The high-speed network was scheduled to reach 100 cities covering 500 million people this year, making it the world’s largest.