A Tibetan official said on Monday broadband internet service would be available to more than half of villages in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region within three years.

Chimchi, chief of Tibet Autonomous Regional Administration for Telecommunications, said the autonomous regional government signed Friday a cooperation agreement on increasing broadband internet access in rural Tibet with China Telecom Group, one of China's three major telecom operators.

In accordance with the agreement, China Telecom, also one of the world's largest fixed telephone and broadband service provider, will invest more than 2.5 billion yuan (US$368 million) in infrastructure and facilities across Tibet in five years beginning this year, according to the Tibetan official.

"Broadband internet service will be extended to cover 60 percent of 5,931 villages in Tibet by 2011," said Chimchi.

According to Li Xiaohua, general manager of China Telecom Tibet Branch, broadband internet service is now available only to urban areas of 72 counties in Tibet. And 3,421 Tibetan villages are covered only by dialing service.

"The new investment plan of China Telecom will help more far-flung Tibetan villages get connected to the outside world via broadband internet, which will benefit Tibetan farmers and herdsmen in ways including acquiring latest technologies so as to make more money, and make life much easier for them as well," said Li.

(Xinhua News Agency June 23, 2009)