China Telecom offers satellite phone services

Mobile giant gets ready to compete with overseas rivals Inmarsat, Iridium

Satellite phone numbers offered by China Telecom - the country's leading mobile carrier - are now available on the market, meaning Chinese archaeologists and fishermen can finally enjoy domestic services when working in remote areas.

The breakthrough in commercializing the country's self-developed sat-phone services shows China's shift from reliance on foreign satellites for mobile telecommunication, according to an online post by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.