What you need to know about the Internet in Shanxi in 2015

Shanxi province's recently published report on its Internet development over the past year shows rapid growth in its Internet resources and many firsts nationwide among Internet indices. The following explanation from the provincial government, of June 1, provides key information on the report.

1. Rapid growth in Internet resources

The province had 11.98 million 4th generation mobile phone mobile communications (4G) users, up 556 percent year-on-year; 8 million broadband subscriptions, with delivery speeds increasing 50.6 percent; and IPTV users, Internet fiber length, and 4G base stations all up more than 100 percent. Its number of domain names rose more than 50 percent, while registered websites grew 18.1 percent, and average Internet access speeds for broadband stood at 9.5 Mb/s, an increase of 89.8 percent.

2. There were 19.75 million Internet users and Internet usage rates were 54.2 percent, putting the province in 11th place in China, as the increase growing in the number of Internet users provides more room and value for the Internet economy.

3. With the cell phone becoming a major mode of access to the Internet, the number of cell phone Internet users grew to 18.29 million, or 92.6 percent of all users, with males accounting for 52.4 percent and females, 47.6 percent, while the number of Internet users in rural areas hit 6.68 million.

4. Internet users aged 19 - 40 accounted for 76.5 percent of the total.

5. By the end of December, 2015, Shanxi had 50,650 registered websites, up 18.1 percent, and the local information portal, www.zmgov.com, had the largest number of views, with apps on life, services, and online shopping enjoying the largest number of downloads.

6. As the "Internet Plus" saw greater use, the number of Internet enterprises rose remarkably, in 2015, especially in business, finance, education, and medical care. And rural e-commerce has great potential, while traditional enterprises in manufacturing, transportation, tourism and energy trying to transform and adjust to the Internet.

7. Broadband download speed increased 98 percent, and charges fell more than 30 percent.

8. Shanxi's cyber security improved greatly with fewer false websites and IPs whose servers were controlled by botnets and Trojan programs.

9. Shanxi worked hard to increase Internet access for healthier cyber development and by the end of the year had 182 units qualified for value-added communication businesses, with revenues of 164 million yuan($24.96million), up four percent.

10. The number of IPv4s grew to 4.31 million, or 1.28 percent of the nation's total, and registered domain names stood at 215,000, up 62.9 percent over the same period of last year.