China Telecom (CHA.NYSE, 728.HKG) announced that it will introduce prepaid calling, text message and data services to Chinese living and travelling in the UK, The New York Times reported. The company plans to begin the services at the end of March, with a target market of some 600,000 Chinese living in the UK, as well as another 600,000 who visit the country each year. It plans to start similar services in France, Germany and Italy by the end of 2014. China Telecom seems to be looking to capture an influx of Chinese visitors before the London Summer Olympics. The firm’s services will run on Everything Everywhere, a joint venture between France Telecom (FTE.NYSE, FTE.Euronext) and Deutsche Telekom (DTE.ETR) that hosts 23 other virtual network operators. While Europe already has plenty of virtual mobile operators – often aimed at ethnic minorities living abroad – some speculate that China Telecom, the country’s third-biggest mobile operator, could make a significant impact on the market.
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