Expo park's IT network nears completion

The Shanghai World Expo park has entered its final stage of construction. One of the park's biggest draw cards is its information technology network, which will provide secure and smooth communications for visitors at the expo. The network also aims to save energy and the environment.

Four hundred technicians have been tirelessly working around the clock to install communication cables and equipment for the expo park's IT network. The network currently covers 90 percent of the park, and will be finished by the end of this month.

Zhang Zhilian, Director, Expo project, China Mobile, said, "We have opened 11 of the 13 signal stations. The final two are under construction, and will be connected into the network by the end of March. The final 10 percent of coverage to be completed inside buildings is expected to be up and running by around March 25th."

The Shanghai World Expo park has entered its final stage of construction. One of the  park's biggest draw cards is its information technology network, which will provide  secure and smooth communications for visitors at the expo.

Lining the main roads along the axis of the expo are 15 street lamps. But these are no ordinary street lamps. They have been installed with a mobile communication antenna.

The antennas have been strategically located in high-density locations to ensure uninterrupted communications during the World Expo. Up to 800-thousand communications are expected to be sent and received daily at the expo.

Organizers have also adopted a "green" approach to constructing the network. Environmentally-friendly signal stations will save energy by using heat-insulation materials and louver windows to cool down naturally.

Zhang said, "It will save electricity normally used by air conditioning. We do not need to use air conditioning six months of the year, which will save a third of power."

Visitors at the expo can use not only 2-G and 3-G mobile phones smoothly, but also 4-G communication devises. This will enable them to tap into the world's fastest wireless Internet. The host of the expo will also use the network to convey information to all the corners of the park.