If
you have just arrived in China or are planning to move here,
this section is for you. We have done our best to provide useful
information on all aspects of the internet connectivity here
in China. If there are questions that have not been answered,
please feel free to contact us with your questions.
Index
1.
What are my options for Internet connectivity?
2. What is the situation with government
censorship of the
Internet?
3. How do I go about setting up an ISDN
connection?
4. What is the advantage of using IT
Broadband Networks?
5. What after sales support does ITBN
offer?
1.
What are my options for Internet connectivity in China?
Most
residential users in Beijing & Shanghai may
choose between a number of options for Internet
connectivity. Depending on regional
availability, these options may include:
Analog dial-up, GSM dial-up, ISDN, ADSL (either
from China
Telecom or a private
vendor) and building Ethernet networks. Each connection
technology has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.
A rough summary is as follows:
Analog Dial-Up (maximum 56kbps)
By
far the most convenient connectivity method, analog dial-up
only requires
an analog modem to be installed in the PC, which almost
every new computer comes with nowadays. However, due to
the very slow bandwidth
as
well
as
telecom
fees
in
China,
analog dial-up can often work out being more expensive
than other connectivity methods.
GSM Dial-Up (maximum 64kbps)
Access the internet with your cell phone - ideal for laptop
users. This has only recently been introduced in China,
and only
a
few
plans
make it economical
in light of high cell phone calling costs. Most users complain
of its slowness but also enjoy the convenience of downloading
e-mail from anywhere within the GSM network. Information
on this access method can be found (in Chinese) at any local
computer market.
ISDN
(64kbps – 128kbps)
For a long time the standard in residential connectivity
for Germany and Northern Europe, ISDN has become quite popular
as a residential and small office connectivity technology
in China.
An ISDN line to the home allows the simultaneous usage of
two 64K channels for any combination of voice and data. The
technology is based around converting a standard analog POTS
line in to two digital ISDN lines. The digital signal allows
much faster connectivity times and does away with annoying
waits for modem dial-up procedures - connecting takes 1-2
seconds with ISDN rather than 15 seconds and above for analog
modem.
Installation is easy and inexpensive, and only involves an
easy application to the local telecom office. Pricing varies
depending on whether you wish to convert an existing analog
telephone line or to install a new ISDN line.
Costs for this service have been dropping in recent years
and will now cost approximately RMB 90 – 315 with installation
often being done within 2-3 days of application.
ADSL (512kbps)
Long
considered the desirable alternative to “narrowband” technology,
ADSL has been introduced with a few hiccups in China to date.
Most ADSL networks in
Beijing and Shanghai are plagued with overuse and instabilities.
Users often report that although some ADSL offerings include “always-on” connections,
the real bandwidth is often less than advertised and equivalent
approximately to analog dial-up. Please note that often private
companies offer ADSL in addition to China Telecom, and service
offerings may vary by region. Some ADSL providers only offer
time-based or volume-based payment plans which, when combined
with often high installation costs, may make ADSL less attractive
to some users.
Building Ethernet (512kbps – 2Mbps)
Many
newer residential buildings offer a form of "broadband" internet
access, where a standard computer network connects all computers
in the building to a fast external internet connection. While
this provides a certain convenience, availability
varies from building to building, and security
concerns exist being permanently connected to the building's
public network. Another problem can be that, while download
bandwidth to the desktop may be ample, many providers
limit their uplink to save money, so that connections
to external or foreign sites may be surprisingly slow.
If you are having difficulty deciding which option is right
for you then please feel free to call one of our sales
staff, who will be happy to answer you questions.
2.
What is the situation with government censorship of the
Internet?
The Chinese
Internet is very much a regulated entity with all international
exits watched carefully by a combination of private
and government run filters and software. To the end-user
in China, this feature of the Chinese Internet makes
itself known with slow download speeds and often arbitrary
connectivity to foreign Web sites. Many US news and
government sites that may not be accessible over one
connection may be easily reached on a second connection.
(see ITBN’s technical advantages, below).
Similarly, the concentration of all international traffic
into several routes means that many carriers are
vulnerable to physical disruptions. In 2001, many Chinese
Internet
users were stranded when an underwater China Telecom
cable near Japan was cut. Some traffic was diverted
to alternative routes, but overall the entire national
Internet experienced a considerable slow down.
3.
How
do I go about setting up an Internet connection?
All
telecom issues in China are governed more or
less by China Telecom. China Telecom has a different
face in different cities, with Beijing Telecom
having been merged with China Netcom (CNC) and
Shanghai Telecom still maintaining its own name.
The end result though is that it is all roughly
the same. A few providers have sprung up in some
regions (most notably Railcom and the Xiaolingtong “Little
Smart” service), but they are not yet a
serious contender for the residential market.
To get any kind of Internet access in China, you will need
to apply for a telephone line (or even a second phone line
if you have a small office at home). This may be done in two
ways:
For residents of foreign approved apartment buildings, you
may need to apply directly to the building management for installation
of one of their existing telephone lines.
For residents of “normal” apartment buildings
(the vast majority of residential buildings in Shanghai and
Beijing), you will need to take the owner’s ID card to
your local Telecom office and apply for the new line.
Generally fees for
a new line are approximately RMB 315 for a new line and RMB
90 for a second line. For a detailed fee breakdown, please click
here.
When applying for telephone lines, you will wish to consider
what kind of line you would like (analog or ISDN) and which
functions you would like enabled for that line.
4.
What
are the advantages of using IT Broadband Networks?
ITBN
offers subscribers quality and options unprecedented
in Chinese Internet Service Providers:
Multiple
uplink options
ITBN currently offers three different upload options to residential
subscribers. This offers redundancy in light of international
network disruption, and also delivers control of the uplink
directly to you, the end user. You yourself can choose which
of the three uplinks to use as required by your Web browsing
habits. All other Chinese ISP’s offer a single default
uplink. When you find access to a specific site is blocked,
there is nothing that can be done. Only ITBN delivers options.
Bandwidth
Allocation
ITBN is the only ISP in China now using sophisticated
bandwidth allocation technology to ensure the exact amount of
bandwidth delivered to EACH subscriber. With some connectivity
packages, ITBN even provides guaranteed bandwidth to the end-user.
This technology allows ITBN to maintain constant real time monitoring
of network conditions to ensure a smooth and effective delivery
of Internet service.
5.
What after sales support does ITBN offer?
ITBN
offers unrivalled after sales service, with true 24
hour bilingual telephone support.
Our highly experienced support staff are on hand to
help you whenever you need them. Email based support
is also available if you prefer.
