(Via Computerworld HK) China is set to expand wireless Internet coverage in some major cities, with a unified network proposed for one of the country's most prosperous regions.
Guangdong province is looking to build a network that would cover the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and Dongguan, according to a report by state-run newspaper China Daily.
The project would cover 927 square kilometers (358 square miles) and cost about 1 billion yuan ($145.6 million), but the report indicated no timetable as to when it might be completed.
Other cities -- including Beijing and Hangzhou, near Shanghai -- have wireless city projects underway or in trials. Beijing's WiCity program, has so far been plagued with problems during its Olympic roll-out, including language issues and login problems.
China has not yet said what standard the Guangdong network will use, although WiCity is using WiFi. Because WiMax is seen as a competitor to 3G services, which all three Chinese mobile operators are preparing to deploy, its acceptance for such projects seems unlikely.