Telecom Business on the Rise In Nyingchi Prefecture

Over the past few decades, Nyingchi has gained much ground in the development of its telecommunications business.

Postal Administration Grows in Strength

YUAN JUN

The Nyingchi Prefectural Postal Administration has under it 10 county-level post offices and 10 branch offices. Staffed with 119 people, they have fixed assets amounting to 37 million Yuan. Over the past 14 years, the prefecture has established 17 new post offices, built three new postal routes, purchased eight motor vehicles, and organized 34 agent networks. They handle letters, parcels, remittances, newspapers and magazines, express mail, stamps, confidential documents, leasing of videotapes, and delivery of fresh flowers. By the end of 1999, postal income reached some 9 million Yuan, 51.4 times greater than 1986, the year the Nyingchi Prefectural Postal Administration was formed. Modern technology is now a vital feature of the services provided by Nyingchi Prefectural Postal Administration. For example, computers are adopted for network services and accounts settlement. One result is that local people with savings accounts can now withdraw funds from post offices in other parts of China. Postal services will experience an impressive development in the 21st century. During the 10th Five-Year Plan, efforts will be made to improve the network service. "We will provide our customers with whatever they demand" is the goal.

Telecom Business Develops Apace

NYINGCHI TELECOM BUREAU

When the Nyingchi Postal Administration was first set up in December 1986, it had 110 staff and handled businesses amounting to 724,000 Yuan per year. Its fixed assets amounted to only 1.7 million Yuan. There was a lack of service variety and proper business networks. At that time, there were only 300 inner-city telephone lines in seven counties in the region. However, only Nyingchi County was equipped with a 90-line exchange. Some other areas had no telephone access whatsoever and long-distance phone services were non-existent. This situation continued until China adopted the reform and opening program in 1979. Over the past decade or so, Guangdong and Fujian provinces have generously helped Nyingchi to build up its telecom industry. The prefectures telecom business volume has since been expanding at an annual average rate of 40 percent, reaching 30.03 million Yuan at the end of 1999. The prefecture now has exchanges with a capacity of 10,511 lines, 2,347 mobile phone subscribers, 462 public phone services, 3,610 BP users, 54 IC phones, and 115 digital communication facilities. The telephone penetration rate has reached 10.2 percent in the entire prefecture, but 35.47 percent in the cities and towns. Fixed assets are valued at 120 million Yuan. The prefecture has built TES and IDR circuits and VAST satellite communication systems. Medog, which is the only county not accessible by highway, at least has telephone access now. The prefecture has made efforts to develop optical fiber communications. It has built the Lhasa-Nyingchi-Qamdo optical fiber communication line. Funds have also been raised to undertake optical fiber projects from Bayi to Mainling, Mainling to Nang, Riwoge to Zayu, Zayu to Lower Zayu, and Baheqiao to Conggo Lake. The prefecture has also built up BP and mobile phone links with other parts of China. People living along National Highway No.318, and Tibet Autonomous Regional Highway No.306 all have access to mobile phone services. And TV conference services are also available to various counties.