No early issue of 3G licenses

China's Ministry of Information Industry said it would not issue 3G wireless communication licenses on World Telecom Day, May 17, quashing earlier media reports. China is still conducting tests on three standards and sources close to the ministry said the tests will end in April, state media reported. Analysts suggested MII was holding up issuing licenses to help China's homegrown TD-SCDMA standard catch up to the European-based WCDMA (Wideband CDMA) standard and US Qualcomm-based CDMA2000 standard. The latest projected release date for China's TD-SCDMA system is June.