Asia Bizz: With the growing popularity of the internet, China has vowed that it would introduce faster and cheaper internet to more people in the nation. The move has been taken after complaints that the monopoly by state-owned firms has affected the services.
In terms of the number of internet users, China has the largest number in the world while Beijing maintains a strict control over the content. It has also launched a crackdown on microblogs, after rumours of an alleged coup spread like wildfire.
The ministry of Industry and Information Technology has determined to increase the speed and also lower prices. A document posted on the website of the ministry said that internet has played a vital role in the economic development of the nation.
Last year, state-owned telecom companies like China Telecom and China Unicom were investigated by the government and there were also complaints of high prices. The state-owned companies control two thirds of the broadband Internet access in China. After the probe, no punishment has been publicly announced, but the companies have assured that they would lower the prices. China Telecom claimed that it would slash the prices for the public by 35% over five years. The rates charged by the service providers are three to four times high than the countries like Japan, US and Britain.
