Telecom operators not to clear remaining traffic data

China Mobile's 4G experience center in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.[Photo/China Daily]

China's top three major telecom operators will launch rollover data services on Thursday, meaning unused data at the end of the month will no longer just disappear.

The operators will launch the service to all subscribers automatically.

Since May of this year, the three major operators have tested this kind of service within certain businesses and through a traffic data donation service.

In July, China's Department of Telecommunication Development urged telecom operators to launch data rollover plans to all the subscribers.

The authority also urged telecom companies to lower Internet prices and elevate connection speeds.

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Regulator cracks whip on telecom service providers by Gao Yuan from China Daily

China's "Big Three" telecom carriers' have been asked to make further reductions in overseas roaming rates and allow users to carry forward unused monthly data allowance, in the latest efforts by the government to regulate the sector.

The Ministry and Industry and Information Technology, also the industry regulator, said on Wednesday that the new directive follows public complaints that despite the high fees charged by the carriers, the speed and quality of the provided services remain poor.

Zhang Feng, the ministry spokesman, said the speed-enhancing and price-cutting initiatives will be completed by October and will result in lower, roughly about one-third, mobile traffic fees nationwide.

Zhang said the carriers will introduce 2-gigabyte per month 4G traffic packages between 50 yuan ($8) and 60 yuan. The international roaming fees have already dropped by more than 80 percent on average since May.

The new budget is very affordable and can meet most of the demand. Lower roaming fees will also greatly benefit Chinese tourists, according to Zhang.