Feb.2 - Beijing Mobile Corporation has announced it will offer a new service package starting next Thursday that allows subscribers to receive incoming calls for free.

 

That is the first time ever that the Beijing Mobile, a municipal branch of China Mobile, has provided a payment package with free incoming calls, following a similar scheme made by Guangdong Unicom that went into effect on Thursday.

 

The company said the package is only available for users of GoTone, a high-end service provided by China Mobile for business people.

 

Four categories are available for subscribers, the company said, ranging from between 99 yuan (about US$12) to 299 yuan (about US$37). They mainly differ in the prices of local calls.

 

Users can subscribe to the new package on the company's website or by sending a text messaage.

 

Beijing residents have long complained about the high price of mobile communication given that both incoming and outgoing calls are charged, unlike fixed-line telephones, which only charge for outgoing calls.

 

However, mobile operators have refused to budge, insisting on charging for both outgoing and incoming calls under the pretense of making meets end.

 

In an early interview with Economic Information Daily, experts said the dual-charging system was initiated for mobile operators in their early stages to recoup investments. However, the system is outdated and should be cancelled since mobile operators are among most lucrative enterprises in the country.