Editorial Summary

China Telecom (NYSE: CHA, 728.HK) plans to release its first customized CDMA handsets in October, reports The Beijing Times quoting a China Telecom insider. An unnamed insider said the telecom operator intends to customize 20 million CDMA terminals, reports C114.com. The custom products are expected to be developed by Telecom's newly-established independent CDMA terminal company, headed up by former China Unicom (NYSE: CHU, 762.HK, 600050.SH) vice president Yang Xiaowei. Since meeting with 23 CDMA terminal manufacturers last month, China Telecom has been working on new guidelines for handset customization, said the report.