A modern post and telecom network has been set up which serves the whole region and links the region with the outside world. By the end of 1999, it had a fixed asset investment of 1.5 billion yuan (US$181.2 million) in post and telecom and a postal length of 62,000 km. Towns and townships have been accessible by postal communications and counties in the region offer computer-controlled postal service. Eight main express mail ways have been built to link the region with other cities such as Beijing. Its express mail can be delivered to the rest of the world.
In 2001, the region earned a total of 16.369 billion yuan (US$1.98 billion) in added value from transportation and post and telecommunication services, up by 13.8 percent. The annual volume of post and telecom business amounted to 6.26 billion (US$756 million), up by 20 percent.
Telecom and telephones: So far, a digital telecom transmission network has been established in the region that features transmission via optical cable in addition to satellite and digital microwaves. The network has facilitated the construction of regional digital and information portal. The long-distance-call national A-grade cable includes the Beijing-Hohhot-Yinchuan-Lanzhou cable line and the regional Hohhot-Xi'an, Hohhot-Beihai, Zhalantun-Qiqihar, Ulanhot-Baicheng, and Chifeng-Chaoyang lines. Its transmission facilities utilize the updated SDH technology.
In 2001, the number of city telephone users reached 2 million while rural telephone subscribers numbered 550,000. In addition, the region had a total of 2.09 million of mobile phone subscribers. The Internet users in the region also had numbered 150,000.
Radio and TV stations: The radio and television system has served 81.3 percent of the total region.
