Telephones:
A modern communications system comprised of microwave, fiber optics, satellite, program-controlled telephone, wireless paging and graphics and text facsimile has taken shape in Sichuan. Telephone service has realized automation in cities above the county level, program control in cities above the prefectural level, and digitalization from the provincial capital to prefectural-level cities. The provincial digital transmission network, public data analysis switching network, mobile communications network, public paging network and satellite communications network in ethnic minority-inhabited area have all been built. Direct dial can be made to more than 200 countries and regions. At the end of 1999, there were 2.928 million telephone subscribers in urban areas and 894,000 in rural areas in addition to 1.7 million mobile phone subscribers. The rate of telephone use averages 7 percent in the province, with 33.6 percent in urban areas. The opening of the Internet Chengdu Center Station has enabled Sichuan to go on the ?information highway.? The number of Internet users has reached 25,965.
