On its website China's MIIT (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology) issued a circular, which ordered China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom to share and co-construct telecommunications infrastructure. The initiative went into effect on October 1, 2008, according to the circular. Infrastructure includes telecom towers and lines, base stations, and transmission lines.

With growing awareness of environmental issues, the circular was released with the intention of avoiding repeat building and increasing infrastructure utilization. In addition, the MIIT stated this new edict should be obeyed by three telecom operators and an administrative punishment will be imposed if any defy this edict, according again to the circular.