Fetion

Fetion
Developer(s)	China Mobile
Initial release	May 2007
Operating system	Android, iOS, J2ME, OS X, Symbian, Windows, Windows Phone
Available in	Chinese (Simplified & Traditional)
Type	Instant messenger; SMS gateway client;
Licence	Proprietary
Website	www.hk.chinamobile.com/en/data-n-vas/message_n_email/data-n-vas-fetion.html; feixin.10086.cn

Fetion (Chinese:飞信, pinyin: fēi xìn, lit. flying letter) was an instant messaging (IM) client developed by China Mobile, a Chinese telecommunications company. It allows users to send and receive SMS free of charge between PCs and mobile phones (in certain conditions^[specify]).^{[citation needed]} China Mobile intends^{[speculation?]} to develop Fetion into a comprehensive communications service which will focus on wireless communications and offer the Internet applications as a complement. D-media Communication Tech (a subsidiary company of Ultrapower Software Co., Ltd) undertakes construction, operation and maintain of Fetion.^{[citation needed]}

History

Shenzhou Taiyue (SZSE: 300002) was originally the only supplier of the outsourcing development, operation and support for Fetion. However, every time the company attempted to renew its contract with China Mobile, it was hit with rumours of insider trading, contract terminations and unstable performance resulting in sharp fluctuations in its share price. China Mobile subsequently put four sub-projects out to tender and Shenzhou Taiyue lost its monopoly.^[1]

Usage

Rumoured to have been called "Femoo" before launch, the product was renamed "Fetion", since in Chinese "Femoo" sounds like the word for "tomb" (坟墓; fénmù) and has negative connotations.^[2] In 2012 the service had around 90 million active users and income of around 300 million renminbi.^[2] Providers of over-the-top content (OTT) have complained that Fetion has failed to address the fee structure changes required to counter competition from other services including WeChat.^[3]

References

^ "独享"飞信的历史不再神州泰岳转型谋新突破 ["Exclusive" Fetion No Longer Seeking Breakthrough on Shenzhou Taiyue Agreement] (in Chinese). Eastmoney.com. 2013-05-09. Retrieved 2014-07-07.
^ ^a ^b 飞信渐被边缘化运营模式须突破 [Feitian Must Gradually Overcome Marginalization Issues]. NetEase (in Chinese). 2012-08-20. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
^ 中国运营商仍延续对抗思维飞信衰败在所难免 [China's Mobile Infrastructure Operator Remains Confrontational: Decline of Fetian Unavoidable]. Sohu (in Chinese). 2013-04-01. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)