Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Xiaomi Corp and JD are among the 15 companies that have got the licenses from the government. [Photo/IC]
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's top industry regulator, granted licenses to 15 companies on Monday to run virtual telecom network services.
工业和信息化部23日向15家企业颁发了虚拟电信网络服务经营牌照。
移动通信转售业务(mobile communication resale business)就是俗称的虚拟运营商(virtual network operator)，是指从拥有移动通信网络(mobile communication network)的基础电信运营商那里购买通信服务，重新包装成自有品牌并销售给用户的电信服务(rebrand and sell telecom services)。目前市场上以170，171开头的手机号就是虚拟运营商号码。
2013年5月，工信部为鼓励引导民间资本(private capital)进入电信领域，发布移动通信业务转售方案。从2013年底首批牌照发放以来，共有42家企业分5批获得虚拟运营商试点牌照(pilot operation licenses)。
As of December 2017, China boasts more than 60 million virtual network service subscribers, accounting for 4.1 percent of the country's total mobile users, data from the ministry showed. The industry has already attracted direct private investment worth 3.2 billion yuan ($500 million), and has helped to create nearly 60,000 jobs.
工信部数据显示，截止2017年12月，我国的虚拟网络服务用户超过6000万，占全国移动通信用户的4.1%。虚拟网络服务行业吸引民间投资32亿元，创造了近6万个工作岗位。
According to the official website of the ministry, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Xiaomi Corp and JD are among the 15 companies that have got the licenses from the government.They are the first batch of players that have inked cooperation agreements with China Unicom.
工信部官网显示，阿里巴巴、小米及京东均在此次获得牌照的15家企业之列。他们也是首批与中国联通签署合作协议的企业。
【相关词汇】
移动通信转售业务 mobile communication resale business
移动通信网络 mobile communication network
用户/机主 subscriber
公用电话 pay phone
话费账单 phone bills
资费套餐 payment scheme
隐性收费 hidden charges
接听免费 free incoming call
流量不清零服务 rollover data service
