China Telecom, the largest telecommunications company in China, successfully conducted a whole-network on-line test for Y2K glitches from 10 p.m. on November 27 to 1 a.m. on November 28.

This was the first time China used this sort of on-line troubleshooting.

The telephone network, transmission network, data telecommunication network, and business operation systems all were found to be problem free, said Leng Rongquan, deputy director of the company, at a press conference held on November 28 after the tests.

China Telecom also invited some key data users, consumers using special networks, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and foreign telecom operators to join the tests, including the People's Bank of China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and the Xinhua News Agency.

On orders from test headquarters, the clock on the telecom net was adjusted to 23:45, December 31,1999; 23:45, February 28, 2000; and 23:45, February 29, 2000 to show the operation of the net in the transition of year 2000, also a leap year.

Following the success of the testing, Leng urged local telecom companies to continue to focus on the Y2K problem to prepare for emergency measures.

China Telecom has paid close attention to the Y2K problem and set up a special task force in 1998. It launched a large-scale check of the entire network in April, 1998, and system upgrading and modifications were accomplished afterwards.

By the end of June this year, equipment modification on the entire network had been basically completed, said one official. (Xinhua)