Editing UMTS (section)

===== Objectives =====
TD-SCDMA was developed in the People's Republic of China by the Chinese Academy of Telecommunications Technology (CATT), [[Datang Telecom]] and [[Siemens]] in an attempt to avoid dependence on Western technology. This is likely primarily for practical reasons, since other 3G formats require the payment of patent fees to a large number of Western patent holders.

TD-SCDMA proponents also claim it is better suited for densely populated areas.<ref name="whatistdscdma"/> Further, it is supposed to cover all usage scenarios, whereas W-CDMA is optimised for symmetric traffic and macro cells, while TD-CDMA is best used in low mobility scenarios within micro or pico cells.<ref name="whatistdscdma"/>

TD-SCDMA is based on spread-spectrum technology which makes it unlikely that it will be able to completely escape the payment of license fees to western patent holders. The launch of a national TD-SCDMA network was initially projected by 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archive.eetasia.com/www.eetasia.com/ART_8800451183_499488_NT_f43f85da.HTM?from=ART_Next |title=3G in China still held up |first=Mike |last=Clendenin |date=30 January 2007 |website=[[EE Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421193717/https://archive.eetasia.com/www.eetasia.com/ART_8800451183_499488_NT_f43f85da.HTM?from=ART_Next |archive-date=21 April 2023 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but only reached large scale commercial trials with 60,000 users across eight cities in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cellular-news.com/story/30163.php |title=China Mobile to Test TD-SCDMA on 60,000 Phones From April 1 |website=Cellular News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080628212138/http://www.cellular-news.com/story/30163.php |archive-date=2008-06-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On January 7, 2009, China granted a TD-SCDMA 3G licence to [[China Mobile]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/oukin-uk-telecoms-china-idUKTRE5061KP20090107 |title=China issues 3G licences to main carriers |first=Michael |last=Wei |date=January 7, 2009 |website=Reuters}}</ref>

On September 21, 2009, China Mobile officially announced that it had 1,327,000 TD-SCDMA subscribers as of the end of August, 2009.

TD-SCDMA is not commonly used outside of China.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/connectivity/3g-umts/td-scdma.php |title=What is 3G TD-SCDMA |website=Electronics Notes}}</ref>