BEIJING, China (CNN) — China Unicom, the country’s second largest mobile carrier, announced this week that it would begin selling Apple’s iPhones on its Web site on Thursday.

Thursday is also the first day the 3G network will be available to Unicom customers across China, the company said.

Launching the iPhone in China is one of Unicom’s major efforts to win over increased market share and high-end smartphone users in a highly competitive telecommunications market dominated by another company, China Mobile.

Customers can order iPhones on Unicom’s Web site starting Thursday but the delivery date has yet to be determined.

The phones will not be available in Apple stores or others retailers on Thursday, according to Unicom and Apple. Both are working on an exact date, Unicom said.

Apple representatives in Beijing had no comment on the iPhone’s release date but in a statement earlier this year said it hoped to launch in China “sometime in Quarter 4.”

A Unicom spokesman said Tuesday the company would sell the 8 gigabyte 3G iPhones for $878 (5,999 yuan); the 16 gigabyte model for $1,025 (6,999 yuan) and the 32 gig for $1,171 (7,999 yuan).

Unlike iPhones available in the U.S. and elsewhere, the phones in China will not offer a wi-fi function as required by Chinese regulators.

China Mobile’s O-Phone based on Google’s Android operating system was launched in China on Monday. It is perceived as a direct competitor to the iPhone.

China Mobile has further plans to launch smart phones made by Dell and other companies.

Unicom also plans to sell its own Google phones made by Samsung in December.