2010-07-01 13:55

BEIJING - Chinese TV, Internet and mobile phone users will be soon be able to do all three activities through a single device after the government announced Thursday a pilot scheme to integrate the three systems.

The cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian, Harbin, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Shenzhen, Mianyang and regions around central Hunan Province's three boom cities of Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, were approved for the pilot program, according to a statement from the State Council posted on the government website (www.gov.cn).

However, the statement gave no schedule and did not elaborate on the development of the trial program.

The program, known as "three networks integration" in Chinese, aims to make the three systems compatible and allow users to make telephone calls, surf the Internet and watch television through only one cable or wireless entrance.

Currently, TV, telecom and Internet networks are separated in China, and different operators provide access to cable TV, telecommunications and the Internet.

The State Council, China's Cabinet, said in January the program would be accelerated through pilot projects from 2010 to 2012, focusing on trials connecting broadcasting and telecommunication networks. It vowed to achieve comprehensive integration by 2015.