Mobile communications, next generation networks, digital
television and RFID are major information technologies to be fueled
by the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, said a
Beijing-based research firm.
The technologies, covering energy-efficient, high-speed and
wireless Internet and improved security, will become popular after
the sports event this year, according to CCID Consulting, a
research firm authorized by the Ministry of Information
Industry.
"The Olympics is the engine to quicken development of the
promising technologies. The various applications include
ticketing," CCID said in a recent note.
The 3.5G network for mobile communications, which supports
high-speed data services like TV and video conferencing on
handsets, will be adopted around the stadiums, along with wireless
Internet access services based on Wi-Fi and WiMax, according to
Beijing officials.
China Mobile invested about 30 billion yuan (US$4.04 billion) on
homegrown 3G networks in several cities where Olympic events will
be held.
China Mobile is expected to provide trial TD-SCDMA (time
division-synchronous code division multiple access) services in the
cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen this year.
China will launch a special program to develop the technology
for a "next-generation broadband wireless mobile communication
network" in 2008, said Wang Xudong, the minister of MII.
China Netcom, the country's second biggest fixed-line phone
carrier with a strong position in the northern regions, including
Beijing, invested more than 10 billion yuan, or 40 percent-plus of
its annual capital spending, in 2007 on broadband upgrades to
establish next generation networks, according to Zuo Xunsheng, the
company's president.
"Broadband, the Olympics and globalization are our three
strategies now," Zuo said.
RFID, or radio frequency identification technologies, will be
used in e-ticketing, identity recognition, food safety and product
tracking systems during the Olympics, according to CCID.
US-based Unisys Corp has been selected to provide
electronic-ticketing systems for Beijing's tourist sites. Based on
touch-less technology, visitors will be able to walk into sites
without ticket checking.
(Shanghai Daily January 2, 2008)
