Poor internet access plagues farmers, who hope the problem is solved soon
Farmers hope the "difficulty of getting online" is solved soon
(Agricultural Wealth Network) Recently, a resident surnamed Li complained while chatting with this writer: "I wanted to use my home telephone line to get online, but only when I contacted the telecom staff about installation did I learn that my home cannot get online because it is too far from the telecom equipment room. I wanted to use 'wireless internet,' but the network fees are so high they are unbearable. Alas, rural conditions are poor now, and there really is no way around it!"
According to data published in the "Statistical Report on China's Internet Development" released by the China Internet Network Information Center in July 2009, as of June 30, 2009, China's internet user base reached 338 million people, with a penetration rate of 25.5%. The user base grew by 40 million people from the end of 2008, a half-year growth rate of 13.4%, and China's internet user base still maintained a trend of rapid growth. The broadband user base reached 320 million people, accounting for 94.3% of all internet users. Although China's broadband penetration rate is very high, broadband access speeds lag far behind developed countries in internet. The rural internet user base reached 95.65 million people.
The national "home appliances going to the countryside" policy has strongly promoted the spread of computers in rural areas. The "broadband user resources" in rural areas are enormous. However, the current problem of "difficulty getting online" in rural areas, especially remote areas, is very prominent. From what I have learned, it mainly comes down to three aspects: First, the network is incomplete. In many rural places, farming households with desktop computers were already few to begin with, and those with laptops are only "as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns." Because many places below the township level have no broadband service, and China Netcom and China Tietong have not extended their networks, farmers mainly rely on telephone line access for home internet, which is not only slow but also so expensive that many people cry "unaffordable." Because many farming households live too far from the telecom "base station," they simply cannot get online using telephone line access. There are still many places in rural areas that cannot connect to the internet. Second, network fees are on the expensive side. With telephone line access, the monthly network fee is generally around 80 yuan, which comes to nearly 1000 yuan a year, hard for an ordinary farming household to bear; with wireless internet, not only are the network fees higher, but more must also be invested to upgrade the computer, which for an ordinary farming household is simply too much to hope for. Third, repairs are difficult. At present, there are very few computer repair outlets in rural areas. If there is a problem with the computer system and it needs repair, taking it to a repair shop yourself costs no less than 20 yuan in repair fees, and adding round-trip transportation costs, generally 40 yuan each time; if professional repair personnel are asked to come to the home for repairs, a repair fee of generally less than 50 yuan is "out of the question."
This writer feels deeply about the problems in the above three aspects. At present, fully giving play to the role of the internet and other informatization means in helping and promoting agriculture still needs to be further explored. I hereby specifically put forward two suggestions on how to advance the informatization of the new countryside and effectively solve the problem of difficulty getting online in rural areas, for reference:
First, meet the internet access conditions of the broad masses of farmers as soon as possible. The development prospects of the internet and telecom market in rural areas are very broad. In accordance with the construction guideline of "government leadership, market operation, multi-party participation, and joint promotion," government leadership and market operation should be implemented, rural communications infrastructure construction should be effectively strengthened, proactive policies and regulations should be formulated, corresponding preferential policies should be introduced, and various communications operating companies should be encouraged and supported to actively open up the rural market, mobilize the enthusiasm of enterprises and other social organizations, vigorously advance the "triple play" integration of radio and television networks, telecom networks, and the internet, effectively strengthen rural communications infrastructure construction, and actively open up the rural informatization market. Create conditions for the broad masses of farmers to get online to the greatest extent, meet their needs for culture, science and technology, and provide more services for farmers to get online.
Second, greatly reduce network fees in rural areas. At present, farmers' incomes are not high. In recent years, network fees have remained high, which to a large extent has restricted farmers' internet access and has also had a relatively large impact on the effectiveness of "home appliances going to the countryside." It is suggested that the government introduce corresponding preferential policies, or give appropriate subsidies to internet operators, so as to greatly reduce farmers' internet access costs and keep rural internet fees at below 30 yuan/month per household; or give special "direct subsidies" to rural internet users, so that rural internet fees no longer become farmers' "pain of getting online," thereby encouraging farmers to get online and prosper.
According to data published in the "Statistical Report on China's Internet Development" released by the China Internet Network Information Center in July 2009, as of June 30, 2009, China's internet user base reached 338 million people, with a penetration rate of 25.5%. The user base grew by 40 million people from the end of 2008, a half-year growth rate of 13.4%, and China's internet user base still maintained a trend of rapid growth. The broadband user base reached 320 million people, accounting for 94.3% of all internet users. Although China's broadband penetration rate is very high, broadband access speeds lag far behind developed countries in internet. The rural internet user base reached 95.65 million people.
The national "home appliances going to the countryside" policy has strongly promoted the spread of computers in rural areas. The "broadband user resources" in rural areas are enormous. However, the current problem of "difficulty getting online" in rural areas, especially remote areas, is very prominent. From what I have learned, it mainly comes down to three aspects: First, the network is incomplete. In many rural places, farming households with desktop computers were already few to begin with, and those with laptops are only "as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns." Because many places below the township level have no broadband service, and China Netcom and China Tietong have not extended their networks, farmers mainly rely on telephone line access for home internet, which is not only slow but also so expensive that many people cry "unaffordable." Because many farming households live too far from the telecom "base station," they simply cannot get online using telephone line access. There are still many places in rural areas that cannot connect to the internet. Second, network fees are on the expensive side. With telephone line access, the monthly network fee is generally around 80 yuan, which comes to nearly 1000 yuan a year, hard for an ordinary farming household to bear; with wireless internet, not only are the network fees higher, but more must also be invested to upgrade the computer, which for an ordinary farming household is simply too much to hope for. Third, repairs are difficult. At present, there are very few computer repair outlets in rural areas. If there is a problem with the computer system and it needs repair, taking it to a repair shop yourself costs no less than 20 yuan in repair fees, and adding round-trip transportation costs, generally 40 yuan each time; if professional repair personnel are asked to come to the home for repairs, a repair fee of generally less than 50 yuan is "out of the question."
This writer feels deeply about the problems in the above three aspects. At present, fully giving play to the role of the internet and other informatization means in helping and promoting agriculture still needs to be further explored. I hereby specifically put forward two suggestions on how to advance the informatization of the new countryside and effectively solve the problem of difficulty getting online in rural areas, for reference:
First, meet the internet access conditions of the broad masses of farmers as soon as possible. The development prospects of the internet and telecom market in rural areas are very broad. In accordance with the construction guideline of "government leadership, market operation, multi-party participation, and joint promotion," government leadership and market operation should be implemented, rural communications infrastructure construction should be effectively strengthened, proactive policies and regulations should be formulated, corresponding preferential policies should be introduced, and various communications operating companies should be encouraged and supported to actively open up the rural market, mobilize the enthusiasm of enterprises and other social organizations, vigorously advance the "triple play" integration of radio and television networks, telecom networks, and the internet, effectively strengthen rural communications infrastructure construction, and actively open up the rural informatization market. Create conditions for the broad masses of farmers to get online to the greatest extent, meet their needs for culture, science and technology, and provide more services for farmers to get online.
Second, greatly reduce network fees in rural areas. At present, farmers' incomes are not high. In recent years, network fees have remained high, which to a large extent has restricted farmers' internet access and has also had a relatively large impact on the effectiveness of "home appliances going to the countryside." It is suggested that the government introduce corresponding preferential policies, or give appropriate subsidies to internet operators, so as to greatly reduce farmers' internet access costs and keep rural internet fees at below 30 yuan/month per household; or give special "direct subsidies" to rural internet users, so that rural internet fees no longer become farmers' "pain of getting online," thereby encouraging farmers to get online and prosper.