14 DAY TRIAL // As expected, China Telecom has finally introduced the iPhone 4S. Customers can now grab Apple's latest iPhone device for free on select plans.
For example, customers can get the 16 GB iPhone 4S for free, but they would have to sign up for a two-year agreement contract for 389 yuan monthly (US$ 62).
However, those who don't mind extending their two-year contracts to an additional three years will have their plans reduced to 289 yuan (US$ 45) monthly. China Telecom also sells the 32GB and 64GB models.
It is worth mentioning China Telecom's iPhone 4S is shipped with the latest iOS 5.1, which means owner won't need to update it after they purchase the smartphone.
Although the iPhone 4S is already available in China since last year via major carrier China Unicom, there are a few difference between the two carrier-bounded models which are now available in the country.
First and foremost China Unicom's iPhone 4S comes with HSPA+ (14.4Mbps) supports, while China Telecom's model only support EV-DO Rev. A 3G, which theoretically limits download speeds to 3.1Mbps.
Secondly, the iPhone 4S does not support simultaneous voice and data on China Telecom's network, whereas China Unicom's variant has no such problem.
Last but not least, China Telecom's iPhone 4S is a global phone, which means it supports both CDMA and GSM networks and users can roam on all networks worldwide.
However, for this to work, China Telecom subscribers will need to insert a special UIM Card, in order to extend GSM support to CDMA phones.
Apple fans who weren't tempted to grab China Unicom's iPhone 4S by now can check out China Telecom's version, which is available for purchase at Apple's China online store as well.
In the same news, China Telecom reported that more than 200,000 pre-orders have been placed for the iPhone 4S.