NTT, China Telecom sign deal

NTT, China Telecom sign deal

TOKYO (AFP): Japan's NTT Communications Corp. said Wednesday
it would tie up with China Telecommunications Corp. to beef up
their global services.

Under a memorandum signed in Beijing, the overseas arm of
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. and China Telecom will
jointly provide telecommunications services to users mainly in
China and Japan.

They plan to develop and provide new services and forge joint
business development, NTT Communications said in a statement.

"The telecommunications market in China is currently
undergoing explosive growth along with increasing use of fixed-
line telephones, cellular phones and the Internet," the statement
said.

"Further expansion is also expected in the wake of the opening
up of China's market following her entry into the WTO (World
Trade Organization)," it said.

The two firms will exchange technology and personnel for the
tie-up.

China Telecom is China's largest provider of fixed-line
telephone services.

Protracted talks are continuing this week in Geneva to seal
Beijing's 14-year campaign to join the WTO.