Considering that China 3G network trials only started in anger in 2009, and that the figure stood at 100 million users just last year, a new report from Sina Tech that the number now stands at 202.6 million is fairly mind boggling. The launch was delayed to begin with, as operators used an alphabet soup of different wireless technology and early results were mixed at best. But the popularity of certain devices along with the advent of microblogging sites like Weibo helped the service quickly gain traction after that, and now more people there use cellphones to surf the web than computers. We'll have to wait and see if 4G goes as well -- after some early waffling, the government seems to have some newfound enthusiasm for it.

[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Mobile

China goes from zero to 200 million 3G users in only three years originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 08:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.