VIA Telecom Inc, a unit of Taipei-based Via Technologies Inc, is planning to develop 4G handset chips and expects to supply these chips to China Mobile Ltd<CHL>, the country's largest telecom carrier, the Economic Daily News reported on Wednesday, citing CEO Zhang Ke as saying.

Zhang declined to disclose any timetable, according to the report.

Sources said that China Mobile has already launched a 4G network, and plans to conduct commercial trials in Shanghai next year during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.

VIA recently said it has received more than 10 million orders for mobile phone chips from handset makers in mainland China, including Beijing Tianyu Communication Equipment Co and Lenovo Group Ltd<0992><LNVGY>.

VIA Telecom is expected to ship more than 10 million CDMA2000 chips this year, whereas it shipped 4.5 million units last year, China Knowledge reported earlier.