BEIJING, June 26 -- Internet users in Beijing will have faster, easier access to the cyber world when the "wireless Beijing" program goes into full swing, Sina.com reported Thursday.

Two netizens browse online through the wireless broadband Internet access service in Beijing, June 25, 2008. The initial round of urban wireless broadband Internet access service in Beijing is put into trial operation as of the day, with signal coverage comprising of the third ring road to the second ring road, CBD downtown, and Zhongguancun business district, extending around 100 square kilometers in total.(Xinhua) Photo Gallery>>>

    The service will be offered free of charge during the Olympics, the report said.

    CECT-Chinacomm Communications, the service provider, will implement the plan in three phases. The first phase began trial operations on June 25, and covers an area of 100 square kilometers.

    The second phase is scheduled to finish in 2009 and the final phase will be completed in 2010 with the creation of a citywide wireless network, the report said.

    Through the wireless access points, people with laptops, PDAs or Wi-Fi enabled mobile phones will be able to go online outdoors, the report said.

    However, the report didn't say how much the service will cost.

    According to the plan, CECT-Chinacomm Communications will build 9,000 wireless access points in public areas and 150 WiMAX stations by the end of 2009, providing Wi-Fi services on more than 90 percent of streets in Beijing.

    Xuanwu District already has 15 such stations that serve the city's sanitation departments.

    CECT-Chinacomm Communications was founded in 2003 and has more than 43,450 kilometers of backbone networks and over 3,057 km of local area networks established in major cities across the country.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)