China Telecom signs on for Xbox One launch
Console gets state-controlled carrier partner for Chinese debut, will be used to push broadband subscriptions
Microsoft is launching the Xbox One in China this September, but it won't be doing so alone. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company has signed a deal with China Telecom to have the state-controlled fixed-line operator be the Xbox One's exclusive carrier partner in the country.
The partnership will help China Telecom bolster its Internet and TV services, as the Xbox One will be used to push broadband subscription contracts. Microsoft hasn't yet given an exact date or pricing details for the Chinese Xbox One launch.
In January, China lifted a 14-year-old ban on the sale of foreign consoles in the country. However, the Chinese cultural department would still have oversight over the content produced, and the systems would need to be built in Shanghai's free-trade zone. While Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony hadn't been able to sell their consoles in China previously, all three had been manufacturing most of their systems there.