As of late June, the number of netizens, or Internet users, in China stood at 103 million, according to Mao Qian, head of Optical Telecommunications Committee of China Telecommunications Society.

Mao presented the statistics from a recently completed report based on the 16th survey into the development of the Internet in China, while addressing the ongoing Fourth Optics Valley of China Int'l Optoelectronic Expo and Forum held in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, central China, on Thursday.

According to Mao, there are 53 million broadband subscribers, most of whom are ADSL users.

Latest information from the Chinese Ministry of Information Industry reports that households with ADSL access outlets totaled 33 million across China, accounting for two thirds of broadband subscribers in the country.

The survey also suggests that many broadband subscribers complain about Internet connections. Five percent are "very unsatisfied", 17 percent are "not quite satisfied", and 40 percent responded "so-so".

Mao was confident that the speed issue would be solved within two to three years with progress in fiber-optic technology that will expand access to more households.

(Xinhua News Agency November 4, 2005)