More Tibetan villages to have broadband internet access

LHASA, June 22 -- A Tibetan official said

Monday broadband internet service would be available to more than half of

villages in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region within three years.

Chimchi, chief of Tibet Autonomous Regional

Administration for Telecommunications, said the autonomous regional government

signed Friday a cooperation agreement on increasing broadband internet access in

rural Tibet with China Telecom Group, one of China's three major telecom

operators.

In accordance with the agreement, China Telecom, also

one of the world's largest fixed telephone and broadband service provider, will

invest more than 2.5 billion yuan (368 million U.S. dollars) in infrastructure

and facilities across Tibet in five years beginning this year, according to the

Tibetan official.

"Broadband internet service will be extended to cover

60 percent of 5,931 villages in Tibet by 2011," said Chimchi.

According to Li Xiaohua, general manager of China

Telecom Tibet Branch, broadband internet service is now available only to urban

areas of 72 counties in Tibet. And 3,421 Tibetan villages are covered only by

dialing service.

"The new investment plan of China Telecom will help

more far-flung Tibetan villages get connected to the outside world via broadband

internet, which will benefit Tibetan farmers and herdsmen in ways including

acquiring latest technologies so as to make more money, and make life much

easier for them as well," said Li.