Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news

To expand their share of the mid-range market, Shanghai Mobile Communications Co Ltd, the largest mobile telecom operator in Shanghai, has unveiled a budget phone call package today for users of its prepaid Shenzhouxing Jiajia Card service, today's Laodong Daily reported.
The package, with call rates a minimum of 0.2 yuan (2.4 US cents) per minute, offers two options, with monthly fees at 29 yuan and 39 yuan.  The 29-yuan package, targeting users who spend 30 to 50 yuan a month in mobile fees, allows up to 100-minutes in phone calls that would normally cost about 60 yuan at Shanghai Mobile's the normal rates on another prepaid service E-Tong Card.  The 39-yuan packages provides up to 200-minutes in phone calls valued at round 120 yuan, attractive to users with monthly fees between 50 and 100 yuan.
New Jiajia Card users can enjoy free call display on incoming calls for one year.
Analysts regard the new package as a challenge to Shanghai Unicom, Shanghai Mobile's key rival and Shanghai's No. 2 telecom operator, particularly for the mid-and-lower end telecom market.
Separately, Shanghai Mobile said earlier this month that it plans to sell prepaid phone cards with a face value of less than 50 yuan (US$6) this year to meet the demands of local seniors, many of whom rarely turn on their mobile phones to make calls but who use them mainly to keep in contact with family members. China Mobile, Shanghai Mobile's parent, will have to approve the cards before they can go on sale.