|
Future Internet begins to take shape
By Li Weitao (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-09-25 08:57 The increasing momentum behind the CNGI will help domestic equipment
manufacturers become more competitive, according to Wu.
The market for
IPv4-based Internet network equipment, such as core routers, is dominated by
foreign firms such as Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks.
CERNET2, as
part of the CNGI, became operational in December 2004. Five Chinese telecoms
operators, including China Telecom and China Mobile, are building national IPv6
networks.
Industry insiders said major operators such as China Mobile are
expected to launch their IPv6 trial networks before the end of the
year.
Domestic companies were selected to provide 80 per cent of the
routers used in the CERNET2.
"CNGI has given domestic players a chance to
prove their competence and test maturity of their equipment," said
Wu.
Last year, 25 domestic research institutions and leading companies
including Lenovo, BOE and China Netcom formed an industrial alliance to
facilitate the commercialization of IPv6 technologies.
Yet, the
commercialization of the next generation Internet (NGI) might take years, as
CERNET2 is focused mainly on academic research.
Wu Jianping, a professor
with Tsinghua University and director of the expert committee of CERNET2,
expected IPv6 to gain significant global traction around 2010.
"IPv6 and
IPv4 will co-exist for a long time," Wu told China Daily.
"There is huge
potential for us to develop more exciting applications," he added.
China
had 123 million Internet users by the end of June this year, boasting the second
largest Internet population after the United States.
The number of
broadband users reached 77 million and there are 788,000 websites in the
country, statistics show.
 | 1 | 2 |
|
| |
|
| |
|
Ripe time for Shanghai Port 