But rolling out mobile networks across Guizhou’s rugged landscape has not been straightforward.
“Transporting equipment, installing, commissioning and activating the base station all involved significant safety risks. To overcome this, we used drones instead,” said China Mobile Guizhou engineer Pan Cong.
The improved connectivity is beginning to change livelihoods in nearby communities.
A REASON TO RETURN
After years working elsewhere in Guizhou and neighbouring Yunnan province, 36-year-old Lin Guoquan decided to return to his hometown and open a homestay near the bridge.
In less than a year, his business has grown from nine guest rooms to more than 50.
The improved internet connection, he said, has been just as important as the new bridge.
“In the past, we couldn’t even make a phone call from here. We never imagined we’d one day have this level of communication,” he said.
“The improved network has allowed us to attract visitors from all over the world and share our village with them online. Now that the bridge is open, it’s only an eight-minute drive from the bridge to my homestay.”