China launched a major pilot
project in 12 cities nationwide this July to help converge the
telecommunications, Internet and broadcast networks. Cities chosen for the
pilot project include Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuhan.
It was reported in the People’s Daily that the project aims to make the three sectors compatible within China to allow users to make telephone calls, surf the Net and watch television through wireless gateway or one cable. It will enable telecom carriers, Internet companies and broadcasters to enter each other's fields and provide services, and is expected to create billions in investment in the coming years.
In China, the move to bring the three sectors together has been considered for more than a decade. However, it made little progress until now because of factors such as technological challenges and contention among stakeholders. It will be interesting to see how this move shakes out. Will other countries be watching?
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