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China: Telecoms services to be extended to 24,000 villages Print E-mail
Tuesday, 04 March 2008

China will extend telecommunications services to 24,000 villages in 2008 based on a plan formulated by China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII).

The government intends to extend telephone services to approximately 24,000 natural villages, which are small villages with electricity and at least 20 households. The MII plans to increase coverage in natural villages nationally by 1% in 2008.

China will also increase broadband coverage in villages and towns from 92% percent to over 95% in 2008. All towns and villages in eastern and central China are expected to have access to broadband services by the end of 2008.

In 2004, MII initiated the Cun Cun Tong project for universal service. All major operators are participating in the project, including China Telecom, China Mobile, China Netcom, China Unicom, China Satcom and China TieTong. The operators have invested over US$ 4.22 billion in the project since its inception and have extended telecom service to 75,000 administrative-level villages - a village officially registered with the government - and 20,000 natural villages. Today, most villages in the country, with the exception of those in the Tibet Autonomous Region and Sichuan Province, have access to telecom services. About 99.5% of all administrative-level villages in China have service.

Source: Interfax China - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.