China has announced plans to spend $182 billion over the next 30 months to modernize the nation's network infrastructure:
The State Council, China's chief administrative authority, said the government will invest at least $69.3bn in network construction this year, which in turn will be supplemented with $112.8bn in expenditure before the end of 2017, all in order to accelerate the construction of fiber optic networks and 4G networks.
The state investment follows Li Keqiang, the State Council Premier, announcing China's "Internet Plus" policy, which is intended to see the nation focus on domestic technology adoption in order to boost domestic growth while also giving Chinese technology firms a chance do do better overseas.
Complaining about China's internet speeds previously, Keqiang undershot the Network Readiness Index [which ranks China 62nd], instead seemingly favouring Akamai's State of the Internet: Q4 2014 report [Subscription required], stating that "China has more cellphone users than any other country, but its net service speed ranks below 80th in the world due to underdeveloped information infrastructure".
The State Council has said: "By the end of 2017, all households in locations above prefecture level will have access to 100 Mbps fiber optic networks, over 80 per cent of villages will be covered by fiber optic networks, all cities and villages will be covered by 4G networks, and broadband speeds in municipalities and provincial capitals will reach 30 Mbps."
Related Stories
China's President has pledged $124 billion for a new "Silk Road" connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe:
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday urged major multilateral institutions to join his new Belt and Road Initiative, stressing the importance of rejecting protectionism in seeking global economic growth.
Addressing other world leaders at a summit on the initiative in Beijing, Xi said it was necessary to coordinate policies with the development goals of institutions including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), ASEAN, African Union and the European Union.
Xi pledged $124 billion on Sunday for his new Silk Road which aims to bolster China's global leadership ambitions by expanding links between Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond, as U.S. President Donald Trump promotes "America First".
No one is totally sure. At the most basic level, One Belt, One Road (OBOR) is a collection of interlinking trade deals and infrastructure projects throughout Eurasia and the Pacific, but the definition of what exactly qualifies as an OBOR project or which countries are even involved in the initiative is incredibly fuzzy. "It means everything and it means nothing at the same time," said Christopher Balding, a professor of economics at Peking University. [...] According to Chinese state media, some $1 trillion has already been invested in OBOR, with another several trillion due to be invested over the next decade.
Fuzzier story at CNN. More at Wikipedia.
Related: China Plans World's Longest Tunnel
China to Spend $182 Billion on Network Infrastructure
China Invests $45 Billion in Megacity Project
China Finances and Builds $13 Billion Railway in Kenya
China Plans $503 Billion Investment in High-Speed Rail by 2020
(Score: 5, Funny) by middlemen on Friday May 22 2015, @01:04AM
Meanwhile in the US the citizens are busy evolving their positions on gay marriage and Obamacare.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by dmbasso on Friday May 22 2015, @01:32AM
Of course, that does not need money. When you have to pay for a 10 trillion dollar war, you better shape the discourse to not make money references.
`echo $[0x853204FA81]|tr 0-9 ionbsdeaml`@gmail.com
(Score: 2, Funny) by takyon on Friday May 22 2015, @02:43AM
⚢ (づ￣ ³￣)づ ⚣
OBAMACARE IS EVOLVING
🔧📡 This is just a test. 📣👌
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 22 2015, @03:16AM
"You can keep your doctor, you can keep your healthcare" = Phucking liar.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday May 22 2015, @01:24AM
I'm guessing no US vendors need bid on any of that project....
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Informative) by takyon on Friday May 22 2015, @01:27AM
Not necessarily:
Maybe I should have put that in the submission?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by m2o2r2g2 on Friday May 22 2015, @01:34AM
Sure they might not have "freedom" (but most western countries are in a race to the bottom there anyway), but they sure know how to actually get stuff done rather than just waste money in bureaucracy and partisan fighting.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 22 2015, @02:59AM
That is what central control is good for. If all you care about is getting stuff done then totalitarianism is king. With democracy and the distributed economics of capitalism most of the resources are bound up fighting on opposing sides. In China there is only one true side and whatever they say goes.
Of course just like every other scenario where investments are all put in one direction it is just as likely to go horribly wrong as good. Still, either way something will happen.
(Score: 5, Informative) by khchung on Friday May 22 2015, @01:48AM
By the end of 2017, all households in locations above prefecture level will have access to 100 Mbps fiber optic networks
I have no idea what that meant, until I found the original announcement http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/content/2015-05/20/content_9789.htm [www.gov.cn]
到2017年底，全国所有设区市城区和大部分非设区市城区家庭具备100Mbps光纤接入能力
The word 市城区 means "city area" or "urban area" (as opposed to "rural area") was missing in the English translation, so if we put it back, it now makes much more sense.
By the end of 2017, all households in urban locations above prefecture level will have access to 100 Mbps fiber optic networks
Don't blame the submitter, the bad translation came directly from the Chinese govt website.
However, a more newsworthy part not contained in the translation is this one
到2015年底，全国设区市城区和部分有条件的非设区市城区80%以上家庭具备100Mbps（兆比特每秒）光纤接入能力
Which roughly means by the end of 2015 (just 7 months from now!), the same urban locations would have 80% covered with access to 100Mbps fiber. THIS is much more concrete than some plans 2.5 years away!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday May 22 2015, @02:29AM
From the official translation: "By the end of 2017... over 80 percent of villages will be covered by fiber-optic networks"
Different thing then?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by SlimmPickens on Friday May 22 2015, @02:35AM
It's mind blowing when you consider that Australia's very expensive National Broadband Network is a 10+ year project.
Go China!
(Score: 2) by khchung on Friday May 22 2015, @02:40AM
That is probably from the later part of the full paragraph for 2017.
到2017年底，全国所有设区市城区和大部分非设区市城区家庭具备100Mbps光纤接入能力，直辖市、省会城市等主要城市宽带用户平均接入速率超过30Mbps，基本达到2015年发达国家平均水平，其他设区市城区和非设区市城区宽带用户平均接入速率达到20Mbps；80%以上的行政村实现光纤到村，农村宽带家庭普及率大幅提升；4G网络全面覆盖城市和农村，移动宽带人口普及率接近中等发达国家水平。
Too lazy to translate it myself, Google Translate to the rescue!
To the end of 2017, all the country's municipalities and districts of the city and most of the non-urban households have by City 100Mbps fiber access capabilities, municipalities, provincial capitals and other major cities the average access rate of broadband users than 30Mbps, basically reached the average level of developed countries in 2015 Other municipalities and districts of the city districts and cities and non-urban broadband users average access rate to reach 20Mbps; more than 80 percent of administrative villages to achieve fiber to the village, rural broadband household penetration increased dramatically; 4G network full coverage of urban and rural areas, mobile broadband Population penetration close moderately developed countries.
In fact, you can Google Translate the whole link and it is pretty understandable.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Friday May 22 2015, @02:30AM
Which roughly means by the end of 2015 (just 7 months from now!), the same urban locations would have 80% covered with access to 100Mbps fiber. THIS is much more concrete than some plans 2.5 years away!
When the Chinese government says this sort of thing will happen, does it actually happen? Or are these announcements just forgotten about?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by khchung on Friday May 22 2015, @02:45AM
You can expect these things will happen, barring some great unpredictable disasters (like great floods, earthquakes, financial crisis, war, etc), especially when the announcement came from that high in the government.
BUT, you can also expect some of the regional offices to fudge some of the numbers to "make their target". So, on the balance, you can reasonably expect it would be achieved in most areas.
With the target date only 7 months away, I would guess the current state should be not very far from 80% already.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday May 22 2015, @02:46AM
We can be pretty confident that $182 billion will be spent. 👌💰🏃🏃🏃🏃🏃
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 22 2015, @03:09AM
Might as well spend it on stuff like this.
I hope they succeed on their massive nuclear power station initiative (might have a disaster or two- esp if there's a big earthquake).
Once they have that they can wind down the coal power plants and stop poisoning themselves (and others) so much.
high speed comms + cleaner electricity + farmland getting less polluted.
(Score: 2) by SuperCharlie on Friday May 22 2015, @03:15AM
The Bandwidth Cannon they will possess will be incredible.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Friday May 22 2015, @01:45PM