China Unicom Inner Mongolia transforms villages with digital infrastructure
Image by Yaroslav Danylchenko on Freepik
In China’s autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, China Unicom Inner Mongolia has been making significant efforts to build digital villages, to vitalise the local economy and enhance the lives of residents. Collaborating with Huawei and other partners, the telecom operator has expedited the development of digital information infrastructure, using advanced technologies to drive the transformation of these villages. As a result, local residents have experienced numerous benefits from these initiatives.
China Unicom Inner Mongolia is building a digital information infrastructure to empower digital villages. It has employed new technologies such as 5G, IoT and big data to develop smart agriculture, which improves production efficiency and increases farmers’ incomes.
In a village in Xilingol League, the operator has improved network quality and information services so the local people can enjoy a digital life. With abundant 5G networks and broadband infrastructure built in the village, wireless coverage now reaches every corner and every household has gigabit fibre broadband. The villagers now can call and video chat with their families and friends from their homes, instead of having to travel a long distance to get better reception. They can browse short videos and share snapshots of their lives online anytime and anywhere, even when working in fields, pastures, or farms.
These digital infrastructure developments have benefitted the lives of villagers as well as provided a channel for urban residents to learn about life in the countryside, thus bridging the urban-rural digital divide. Another benefit of this improved connectivity is faster economic growth. The villagers can showcase their agricultural products through short videos to attract buyers as well as promote tourism. Innovative digital technologies enable healthy and effective rural development.
In the digital village located in Xilingol League, China Unicom Inner Mongolia has helped villagers deploy 5G networks and utility devices such as sensors and cameras in pasturelands and greenhouses. The villagers can monitor livestock as well as greenhouse conditions such as light intensity, air temperature and humidity, and soil fertility, all in real-time through their mobile phones. They can also run production processes remotely, such as irrigation, temperature and humidity regulation and fertilisation. This helps comprehensively improve agricultural productivity.
In addition, China Unicom’s digital rural platforms also help improve social services for residents. For example, China Unicom Inner Mongolia has installed a smart large screen for the village committee to inform villagers of the latest village affairs and keep them up to date on the agricultural products market. It has also set up a networked smart healthcare platform for the villagers to access the expert consultation services of urban hospitals.
Moreover, a digital education platform for primary and secondary schools is under construction, which will make high-quality education resources available to children in pastoral areas.
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