Quoting an industry source, Interfax TMT reports today that China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will soon grant iPhone its long awaited Network Access License (NAL). According to the source, the NAL will be awarded to the iPhone Model A1324, which most likely has been specially built for China with preloaded apps for China (e.g. HWPen and Youku, etc.).
According to iPhonAsia’s ninjas, the Model A1324 has gone through months of testing and has passed all tests with flying colors. One might wonder why has the NAL taken so long? It is iPhonAsia’s opinion (discussed during August 15 Mac OS Ken interview), that China’s MIIT has deliberately dragged their feet on the issuance of iPhone’s NAL. The primary reason for the delay was to ensure that China Mobile has its Android-based OPhones and Mobile Market application store ready to match (in theory) Apple’s iPhone and ecosystem. Now that OPhones are ready and China Mobile’s Mobile Market has launched, there are no longer any excuses to hold back issuance of iPhone’s NAL.
Just speculation on my part, but one reason why Apple may have held off on any iPhone in China deal announcement, is the lack of an “in hand” NAL for iPhone. If Apple were to announce their deal with China Unicom before the NAL is issued, they would be vulnerable to last minute surprises by the MIIT, who regulates China’s carriers and acts as proxy to protect the “interests” of China’s telecom industry.
There were many reports in June and July of this year which incorrectly stated that iPhone had been “approved in China.” This false conclusion was largely due to reports by news services and blogs who had learned about the radio transmission license issued to iPhone in May. This license was an important step, but it was not formal approval. The NAL is the key.
More background … On June 12, 2009, iPhonAsia reported that iPhone had obtained a Radio Transmission Equipment Type Approval Certificate (RTETAC)… Read more >
China’s MIIT issues 1 of 2 of required licenses for iPhone
[...] Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will soon grant iPhone its long awaited Network Access License (NAL). The NAL is a gating factor to any deal [...]