Wiring small-town China: the fiber-optic tentacles of China's Internet extend deep into the heartland

This paper describes how Internet connectivity has transformed the lives of citizens in the various small cities in China. The assumption that China's exploding population of Internet users are concentrated in and around Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other metropolises is just plain wrong. A 2003 study showed that cities and towns all over China were using sophisticated information technology to promote e-government, find new markets, rationalize work flows in businesses and municipal governments, and even enjoy real-time combat and conversation. A more recent study revealed that change is continuing apace and the once prevalent dial-up links have given way almost entirely to high-speed broadband connections.