Editorial Summary

Chinese handset retailer D.Phone has obtained a franchise license from the Ministry of Commerce and intends to begin operation of its franchise business this year, reports Beijing Times quoting D.Phone Group chairman Liu Donghai. D.Phone will charge franchisers a one-time fee of RMB 30,000 along with an annual management charge of RMB 20,000 and a RMB 50,000 deposit, according to D.Phone Group franchise business department director Shang Zhengguo. D.Phone expects to expand its 1,200 directly-operated stores to a total of 5,000 franchise and directly-operated outlets within the next five years, said the report.