The big three Chinese operators have all confirmed that they will slash their data tariffs as well as increasing network speeds.
All of the operators have faced pressure from the country’s government regarding their mobile broadband offerings, with Premier Li Keqiang saying a month ago that mobile broadband in China was too costly without offering a fast enough service.
The Chinese cabinet, the State Council, then backed his comments, telling the operators that they must improve speeds by 40%. In addition, they stipulated that the operators should cut their prices by the end of 2015 while making broadband available in more rural regions.
For their part, the big three have fallen in line. China Mobile has pledged to lower mobile data prices by 35%, while China Telecom is aiming to drop prices by an average of 30% per Mb/s. Unicom meanwhile will lower its rates by at least 20% per Mb/s.
It is hoped that this action will cause a shift towards 4G adoption in China, which has slowed.
