China Netcom says it will invest about CNY15 billion to upgrade its fiber cable and carry out fiber-to-the-home in China and the work is expected to be completed within five years.

According to an announcement of China Netcom's Hong Kong listed company, China Netcom aims to be a leading broadband communications and multi-media service provider in China by 2010. In addition, the company plans to renovate its copper cable in some parts of China and increase use of fiber cable to upgrade its network quality.

China Telecom has already begun testing FTTH on a trial basis in four Chinese cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai. Though China Netcom has never disclosed its progress in FTTH, it is rumored that the company has already started the service in Tianjin where more than 100 cable information sites were formed by the end of last year.