ZTE Corporation on Wednesday bagged the biggest chunk of the third round of 3G expansion tender, valued 8.6 billion yuan ($1.26 billion), floated by China Mobile Communications Corp.

Shenzhe-based equipment maker claimed 34 percent of the contract that involved the expansion of third-generation network covering 200 mainland cities and deployment of 39,000 base stations for China Mobile.

The contract awards were led by Chinese vendors 72 percent of the tender, with vendors like Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. winning 22 percent and Datang Mobile securing 16 percent.

The remainder was dispensed to five companies, including New Postcom, FiberHome, Nokia Siemens Networks, Ericsson, and Potevio with share of 5 to 6 percent for each of them.

China Mobile, the world''s largest mobile service provider by users, is the only operator with government licence to develop and operate the nation's homegrown TD-SCDMA technology.