Shanghai to Digitalize City by 2016

Shanghai municipal government announced its 3-year plan for the digitalization of the mega-city. It is divided into three main phases: improvement of the already existing communication and information infrastructure, expansion of the communication technology industry, and strengthening of Internet security. The infrastructure improvement includes providing fiber optic services in 60% of Shanghai homes, raising the number of public free Wi-Fi access points to more than 20,000, in addition to the extension of the 4G network.

The city government will add to these improvements a tougher control of Internet to ensure heightened web security. In order to attain these goals by 2016, the city unfurled a diversified strategy mixing, among others, new sets of legal norms, investment incentives in digital economy, and the promotion of entrepreneurship.