Three Chinese telecom operators, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, plan to jointly invest over 20 billion RMB (US$2.93 billion; US$1 = 6.8 RMB) into IT network reconstruction in Sichuan province, where the entire IT infrastructure was destroyed during the May 12 earthquake last year, the Sina News reported on May 12. For the reconstruction, China Mobile will earmark 10 billion RMB (US$1.5 billion), China Telecom 8.6 billion RMB (US$1.3 billion), and China Unicom 3.3 billion RMB (US$483.2 million).

China Mobile plans to build super base stations, which can endure extreme weather conditions, in the province as well as other provinces. Over 1,500 super base stations will be installed across the country by 2010, according to China Mobile's announcement. At the same time, China Telecom will focus on restoring its optical fiber networks in the said province. By 2010, China Unicom plans to rebuild its GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network in Sichuan, with an aim to increase its service coverage to up to 95% of the population in the province, as well as to restore its broadband network.