China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has called on China’s telecommunications companies to lower Internet prices and raise connection speeds. (Photo : www.chinadaily.com.cn)
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has called on China’s telecommunications companies to lower Internet prices and raise connection speeds on Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
MIIT Minister Miao Wei made the call at the opening ceremony of the 2015 China International Information Communication Expo Telecommunication, which will be held in Beijing from Tuesday to Friday, Dec. 8-11.
Miao said that telecom companies should make sure that they meet earlier targets by the end of this year and raise Internet speed as well as implement price reduction measures.
The government expects that the average broadband speed for users in major municipalities and provincial capitals will be increased from the current 9 megabytes per second (Mbps) to 20 Mbps.
The MIIT had asked earlier in May that Internet speed in other urban areas should be improved from the current 7 Mbps to 10 Mbps. It also asked that the average prices for mobile phone Internet and fixed broadband should be reduced by at least 30 percent from the previous year by the end of this year.
Miao also said that the MIIT will strive to develop China's information and communication industry and fulfill its role in safety supervision and management.
The ministry said that it will push for the implementation of the "Broadband China" strategy, proposed in Aug. 2013 by the State Council to boost information consumption and expand broadband coverage across the country, including the establishment of city-wide and 4G networks.
Miao said that the ministry is also set to implement the "Internet Plus" action plan to integrate digital technology into traditional sectors to make them more efficient, as unveiled in the State Council's plan in July.
The ministry also pledge to accelerate the integration of information technology with various industries, and reinforce the management and security control of the Internet industry.
Official data from the MIIT showed that the combined revenue of China's top three telecom operators due to 4G services hit 1.25 trillion yuan, up 23.8 percent from a year earlier.
The report said that the country's 4G users increased by more than 25 million in July to 250 million, while mobile Internet users reached 937 million and fixed broadband users number 208 million.
In addition, the data showed that the volume of China's e-business trade rose by 26 percent year on year, with online retail sales up by 45 percent more than the previous year.
Miao added that the Internet-based economy gave new room for mass innovation and entrepreneurship and added power to economic growth.
