Broadband Internet usage soars in China

The number of Chinese Internet users connecting to the Internet over broadband connections rose by 173 percent during 2003, according to the latest figures released by China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) in its Semiannual Survey Report on the Development of the Internet in China.

China had 17.4 million broadband Internet subscribers at the end of 2003, compared to the 6.6 million subscribers in the country one year earlier, CNNIC said. Broadband Internet users, defined by CNNIC as users that connect over DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or cable connections, now account for 22 percent of all Internet users in China.

In total, China now has 79.5 million Internet users, up 34.5 percent from 59.1 million users one year earlier, CNNIC said.

Of the 79.5 million Internet users in China, 26.6 million connected over leased lines, 49.16 million used dial-up connections, 5.52 million connected over ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) and 17.4 million had broadband connections, CNNIC said. (The survey re-counts users with more than one method of connecting to the Internet.)

Internet subscriber growth quickened its pace in China during the second half of the year after a slowdown during the first six months. CNNIC reported 8.9 million new Internet users during the first half of the year compared to 11.5 million new users during the second half of the year, according to the survey.

Nevertheless, the number of new Internet users in China grew at its slowest annual pace in percentage terms since CNNIC began releasing semi-annual reports on Internet usage in China. CNNIC did not give a reason for the slowdown but said the continued high growth rate reflects the rapid expansion of Internet usage in China.

"This figure demonstrates that our country's Internet industry has expanded with steady steps and entered a new stage of rapid development," CNNIC said in a statement that accompanied the survey.