City-wide wireless Internet (WiFi) access in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other major cities

August 9th, 2008

China is planning to enable city-wide wireless Internet access in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Qingdao, Yangzhou and Shenzhen.

Beijing
Wireless Internet access is already available for free within Beijing’s city center (Beijing WiCity English homepage) during the Olympics. By the end of 2009, wireless Internet will be available for all areas within the 5th ring road. By the end of 2010, the wireless Internet service will be available within the entire Beijing municipality.

Although the wireless Internet service in Beijing is initially free during the Olympics, usage fees are planned after the Olympics: 0.12 yuan/minute, 20 yuan/day, 60 yuan/week or 80 yuan/month. In comparison, currently GPRS access costs 660 yuan for 6 months and CDMA access costs 620 yuan for 7 months.

Shanghai

Wireless Internet access is already available in downtown Shanghai. The entire city will have coverage before the 2010 World Expo.

Guangzhou

Guangzhou is planning to enable city-wide wireless Internet access in 3 phases, all to be completed in time for the 2010 Asian Games.

Specific implementation timelines have not yet been announced in the other cities. However in general, wireless Internet access in China’s major cities is expected to grow rapidly over the next 2 years, i.e. there will presumably be broad coverage in all major Chinese cities by the end of 2010.

Source:
http://it.people.com.cn/GB/1068/42899/7626258.html
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/citylife/2008-06/11/content_6752831.htm
http://english.nanjing.gov.cn/today/njnew/polity/200805/t20080520_239022.htm