By Chris Chang, posted Nov 25, 2011 at 5:20 AM, 624 views,

China Telecom Gearing Up for iPhone 4S Launch

Apple’s long-running partnership with China Unicom will end in 2012, and it’s time for Apple to look for a new mobile operator to work with in the country. Recently, a series of iPhone 4S posters has been put up in China Telecom’s local stores, so, does this mean China Telecom is about to sell the iPhone 4S? One more pic after the break.

Accoding to Chinese news website Sina Tech, the photos you are seeing here, are indeed real photos of local China Telecom offices. However, the posters were put up to “draw attention”, and China Telecom is not accepting any pre-orders or telling customers that they are preparing to sell iPhone 4S.

We all know that Apple is rumored to be on the verge of agreeing to a partnership with a new carrier in China, since 2012 sees the end of Apple’s exclusive 3-year deal with China Unicom. Recent reports suggest that Apple and China Mobile have failed to agree a deal, as the operator wants a cut of Apple’s app revenues as well. So, Apple could cooperate with China Telecom — the country’s third largest carrier, with 120.29 million subscribers, according to its own data. What’s more, China Telecom’s 3G service already has 31 million customers, which is not much lesser than China Mobile’s 45 million 3G subscribers. In May, China Telecom chairman Wang Xiaochu told a news conference that the carrier had contacted Apple to launch the iPhone based on CDMA (code division multiple access) technology, here’s what a source close to the company told Reuters:

“It’s expected to happen this year. China Telecom already has the required technology and it all hinges on the content of the agreement. As we all know, it’s not easy to negotiate with Apple,”

While we are hearing the iPhone 4S will be ready for launch in China next month, we definitely agree that China Telecom may soon start offering Apple’s CDMA-based iPhone to its customers in China, and it will be most likely during the first half of 2012. The iPhone 4S will also be available though China Unicom.

Source: Sina Tech