Madrid/Beijing, 29 June 2015. Telefónica and China Unicom announce today they have entered into an strategic procurement collaboration program with the purpose of selecting smartphones based on shared specifications, helping both companies deliver richer data services to a broader group of their consumers in China, Latin America and Europe.
Thanks to the close collaboration efforts of both parties’ device teams, a first joint procurement project has been successfully completed on 4G smartphones. As a result of a series of joint processes since the end of 2014, including joint industrial trends research, joint product specifications, and joint Global RFQ negotiations, it has been possible to achieve important economies of scale to acquire cost-effective smartphones from two leading handset vendors: Lenovo and TCL.
These 4G smartphones will be available in the 2nd half of 2015 in China, Europe and Latin America, and both China Unicom and Telefónica have developed specific consumer propositions and Go-To-Market plans in all countries to maximise their potential.
For Chinese brands such as Lenovo and TCL, this is a critical project to access the unparalleled combined scale and global footprint of Telefónica and China Unicom, expanding their reach to highly attractive mobile markets.
This important milestone is the first step of future common procurement activities, as we have explored and achieved an innovative way of procurement cooperation between the 2 world-class telecom operators. Telefónica and China Unicom have also agreed to continue working on other joint strategic initiatives.
About Telefónica
Telefónica is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation and number of customers. With its best in class mobile, fixed and broadband networks, and innovative portfolio of digital solutions, Telefónica is transforming itself into a ‘Digital Telco’, a company that will be even better placed to meet the needs of its customers and capture new revenue growth.
The company has a significant presence in 21 countries and a customer base of 319 million accesses around the world. Telefónica has a strong presence in Spain, Europe and Latin America, where the company focuses an important part of its growth strategy.
Telefónica is a 100% listed company, with more than 1.5 million direct shareholders. Its share capital currently comprises 4.938.417.514 ordinary shares traded on the Spanish Stock Market and on those in London, New York, Lima, and Buenos Aires.
If you would like to know more about the Telefónica, please visit www.telefonica.com
About China Unicom
China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (the “Company”) was incorporated in Hong Kong in February 2000 and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on 21 June 2000 and 22 June 2000 respectively. On 1 June 2001, the Company was included as a constituent stock of the Hang Seng Index.
At present, the Company provides a full range of telecommunications services in China, including mobile broadband (WCDMA, LTE FDD, TD-LTE), fixed-line broadband, GSM, fixed-line local access, ICT, data communications and other related value-added services.
As at the end of May 2015, the total subscribers of the Company’s mobile, fixed-line broadband and local access businesses reached 439 million.
If you would like to know more about the Company, please visit www.chinaunicom.com.hk
About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $46 billion global Fortune 500 company and a leader in providing innovative consumer, commercial, and enterprise technology.
Our portfolio of high-quality, secure products and services covers PCs (including the legendary Think and multimode YOGA brands), workstations, servers, storage, smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Motorola brand), tablets and apps.
About TCL
TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (HKSE stock code: 02618) together with its subsidiaries designs, manufactures and markets an expanding portfolio of mobile and internet products worldwide under two key brands – ALCATEL ONETOUCH and TCL. TCL Communication’s portfolio of products is currently sold in China and over 170 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.
Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, TCL Communication operates its highly efficient manufacturing plant and R&D centers in various provinces of the PRC. It employs over 14,000 people in China, Hong Kong and overseas.
