China Telecom signed deal to sell phones online

US e-commerce giant Amazon.com Inc signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Telecom Corp Ltd on April 18 that will help the latter sell cellphones with service contracts online.

For the first time, Amazon's China branch?- Amazon.cn?- has partnered with a Chinese telecom operator. Amazon said it will offer mobile phones at favorable prices, and customers can apply for a China Telecom service plan online without having to visit a carrier's outlet.

"We like to say in Amazon that there are so many opportunities in the future that today is still day one. This is truly day one, introducing services we hope to provide Chinese customers," said Steve Frazier, vice president of Amazon.com and the official responsible for now for the company's business in China.

Amazon entered China in 2004 by purchasing the Chinese e-commerce company Joyo.com for $75 million. The company failed in the battle with domestic rivals such as 360buy.com to attract enough customers in China.

Wang Hanhua, former CEO of Amazon.cn, left the position in November after seven years with the company. Amazon has yet named a new China head.

Rumors circulated that Amazon's e-book reader Kindle will hit the Chinese market soon. However, Frazier declined to confirm that on Thursday.