BT Obtains Nationalwide Telecom Licenses in China

According to Bloomberg news, BT has botained two nationalwide domestic telecom licenses in China and become the first non-Chinese telecom company to receive nationwide licenses in China. The news has been confirmed by BT, Chinese media and government authorities.

BT received two licenses: a China nationwide domestic IP-VPN license and a China nationwide ISP license.

This enables BT China Communications Ltd. to contract directly with customers and bill them in local currency.

BT said it welcomes this “major step for BT in China” as multinational BT customers require secure and reliable connectivity to expand thire business in China and globally.

According to Chinese authority, the licenses were granted to BT's jointly venture in China, BT Communications Counsting (Shanghai) Co., Limited (英电通讯信息咨询（上海）有限责任公司, or BT Shanghai). BT Shanghai was incorporated in Shanghai Free Trade Zone in 2015. BT Hong Kong Limited owns 50% of shares in BT Shanghai, while the remaining 50% of shares is owned by a 100% domestic company in China.

These two licenses are only valid for domestic telecom operation in China. BT still needs to acquire services from other licensed operators in China for international telecom services, such as International Private Line and International IP-VPN, etc.

Granting BT nationalwide telecom licenses in China, it shows a close cooperation between the Chinese Government and the UK Government and it is a sign for the further opening-up of telecom business operaton in China.