New MIIT FTTH Rules Address Fiber Buildout in China

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has announced a new set of regulations intended to drive fiber to the home (FTTH) construction and provide an equal playing field for China's broadband operators, according to Marbridge Consulting, a China-focused market research and business consulting firm specializing in the telecommunications and IT sectors. The two new national construction regulations, "FTTH Equipment Regulations for Housing and Residential Development Projects" and "FTTH Construction and Inspection Regulations for Housing and Residential Development Projects," go into effect on April 1, 2013.

The main provisions of the new regulations are as follows:

1. In county level or higher cities that are connected to China's national broadband network, all new housing and residential development construction projects must include FTTH installations.

2. All housing and residential FTTH installations must be designed to provide fair network access capabilities to multiple telecommunications and broadband operators, allowing customers the chose their preferred operator.

3. The underground communications conduits, underground wiring networks, telecommunications rooms, equipment rooms, and other new facilities for new housing and residential development projects must be constructed and inspected in tandem to ensure FTTH compatibility.