Inner Mongolia expands telecom networks in vast forests of Greater Hinggan Mountains

Photo shows the autumn scenery in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in early September 2022. (People's Daily Online/Shen Jiaping)

Located in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the forestland in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, covering an area of 106,700 square kilometers, is the largest and best-preserved state-owned forest of its kind in the country.

Since a pilot project for universal telecommunication services was launched in the vast forest area of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the autonomous region in April 2021, the task of building 121 4G base stations in the forest area is largely complete.

Once fully complete, the network coverage in forest farms, scenic areas, fire towers, major roads, and key fire hazard zones in the forest area of the Greater Hinggan Mountains will be elevated to about 50 percent from less than 10 percent.

Photo shows a 4G base station at a national wetland park in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Shen Jiaping)

Better telecom networks have facilitated the protection of the forest ecosystem in the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

Zhang Decheng, a veteran forest ranger in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, once found smoke rising from the forest area and immediately reported the fire on his intercom, but couldn't receive a response. At that time, the pinging of his mobile phone reminded him that he could report the fire on his mobile phone thanks to the construction of 4G base stations in the forest area.

"From the moment when I reported the fire, it was less than two hours before it was put out," Zhang said excitedly, who was amazed by the efficiency of 4G internet services.

Li Guo, a ranger of a national wetland park in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, has also benefited from the 4G network. "Fog often wreathes the mountains in September, and it's hard to tell whether it is fog or smoke from a long distance," Li said. In this case, he had to ride a motorbike along the mountain roads for more than an hour to confirm a potential fire in the past.

Since 4G facilities were installed last year, Li's work has become much easier. A smart forest fire platform consisting of cameras can easily identify fire conditions, automatically give an alarm, and provide precise positioning information of the fire.

Photo shows Huo Weili, an employee of a forest farm located in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the county-level city of Genhe in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Shen Jiaping)

Telecommunication services have also enabled guardians of the Greater Hinggan Mountains to contact families more easily.

Huo Weili, an employee of a forest farm located in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the county-level city of Genhe, Inner Mongolia, recalls that when he began to work in the forest farm in his 20s, he lost contact with his girlfriend for more than 40 days because there was no signal in the forest farm.

Huo can now easily contact his family members with his mobile phone thanks to the 4G network services in the forest farm.

"Last year, employees of the forest farm were excited after learning that the pilot project for universal telecommunication services had been approved," said Qin Zhijiang, director of the forestry information center of the Inner Mongolia Forest Industry Group.

Workers transport construction materials for a pilot project for universal telecommunication services launched in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The development of ecotourism in the Greater Hinggan Mountains has seen a boost since the incorporation of telecommunication services.

"Roe deer and brown bears often come onto the forest farm and protection stations," Li said. In recent years, ecological resources have been continuously improved in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in Inner Mongolia.

The booming ecotourism further showcases the forest area's advantages in green resources and boosts the rapid development of green industries, such as the under-forest sector, the planting and breeding sectors, and commercial forests, according to Wen Jun, manager of a local tourism company.

"In the past, tourists couldn't share their photos online in the forest area. Now the 4G network services enable them to hold live-streaming sessions and video calls here," Wen said. 

Photo shows a steam train for tourists at a scenic area in the Greater Hinggan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in September 2022. (People's Daily Online/Shen Jiaping)