Global businesses with a commercial or operational presence within China know that the region is rich with promise and opportunity. However, they’re also keenly aware that realizing these advantages is a challenge due to internet issues in China, such as low speed, high latency, packet loss, and reduced performance of business-critical cloud-based applications.
In this article, we’ll examine the latest updates on China’s internet speed problems and how cloud connectivity can help businesses overcome many of these challenges to maximize performance and potential.
Teridion’s cloud connectivity solution uses smart AI-powered routing to ensure data finds the fastest path between any two points on the internet, reducing congestion and bottlenecks. The result is a secure, compliant service that performs like MPLS but at a fraction of the cost.
What Affects Internet Speed in China?
There are a multitude of factors that affect internet speed in China. Here are some of the most common.
The Great Firewall of China (GFW)
Perhaps the most significant causal factor in slow internet speeds is the Great Firewall of China. This regulatory system inspects international traffic from and to China, which often results in colossal speed slowdowns.
The GFW can also throttle website speed and interfere with Domain Name Service (DNS) servers, which can affect the smooth operation of foreign websites.
Of course, it’s not just internal traffic that faces difficulties. International traffic is funneled through a system of cross-border gateways, creating bottlenecks and service slowdowns caused by Deep Packet Inspection.
Infrastructure and Geography
China is a massive country, and internet service in remote regions is inconsistent. What’s more, the country’s huge population of internet users can cause significant network congestion. Finally, Internet Service Provider (ISP) competition is low because of stringent state approval, meaning providers can offer low-quality service without much consumer penalty.
How Fast Is Internet Speed in China?
The internet speed in China varies greatly depending on the region and network infrastructure. However, in general, internet speed in China has improved significantly in recent years and is comparable to that of many developed countries. Thanks to the substantial investments in infrastructure and the rollout of advanced technologies. As of 2024, China offers some of the fastest internet speeds in the world, particularly in urban areas.
The fastest internet speeds in China are typically found in major cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. According to Speedtest, in Beijing, the average internet speed is 232.41 Mbps, while in Shanghai, it is 223.81 Mbps.
When it comes to businesses uses internet in China, a significant aspect of the country’s internet landscape is the availability of dedicated internet access (DIA) for businesses. DIA offers dedicated bandwidth and guaranteed performance levels, catering to the demands of enterprises that require reliable and consistent internet connectivity.
The speed of internet provided by DIA services in China can vary based on factors such as location, provider, and service tier. Major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen are generally known for having faster internet speeds, with some providers offering DIA plans that can reach up to 10 Gbps or higher. In comparison, rural areas or smaller cities may have lower average speeds.
However, internet speeds in rural areas of China are often much slower. This is due to a number of factors, including the lack of infrastructure and the high cost of broadband internet.
In recent years, the Chinese government has made a significant investment in improving internet infrastructure in rural areas. This has resulted in a substantial increase in internet speeds in many rural areas.
Overall, internet speed in China is constantly improving and is now comparable to that of many developed countries. However, there is still a significant gap between urban and rural areas.
Does China Have High-Speed Internet?
In November 2023, Tsinghua University, along with Huawei and China Mobile, announced a blisteringly fast 1.2 terabits per second network, by far the fastest in the world. These ranges might be possible in theory, but average internet speeds are far lower.
Chinese citizens have access to three rough tiers.
- Basic speed: 50-100 Mbps is widely available
- High speed: 100 – 500 Mbps is available in urban locations
- Ultra-high-speed: 1000 Mbps is available in large cities
This data shows that the infrastructure and technical competence are there, but The Great Firewall and government regulations can hinder access to high-speed internet, which can be a huge issue for anyone running a business in China, collaborating with Chinese companies, or having a business presence in the region.
The Importance of Internet Speed for Business Success in China
Poor internet speed in China is a big barrier to running a successful business. Let’s explore some of the reasons why.
User experience: Users expect fast page loads. For each second that it takes a page to load, more users bounce. Past studies suggest that the majority of Chinese sites take longer than 5 seconds to load, leading to a poor user experience.
Mobile usage: Each year, more Chinese citizens use mobile phones as their preferred way to access the internet. However, mobile users’ tolerance for slow loading is far lower than that of desktop users. Organizations that can’t serve pages fast will lose business to competitors who can.
SEO: Bounce rate is one of the signals that search engines use to determine page ranking results. Every extra second that it takes a website to load means lost customers. For ecommerce businesses that use paid ads to drive traffic to their site, this situation can lead to a huge waste of marketing budget.
SaaS platforms: The digital transformation of the last decade means more and more work happens on cloud-based SaaS packages. Slow internet speed in China makes working on these platforms frustrating and can directly impact productivity.
Collaboration: The business world has never been more connected. However, collaborating with geographically dispersed teams requires reliable, high-speed internet. Video conferencing, file sharing, and collaboration tools are essential for collaboration. If they are too unreliable or slow, business will become less productive.
Competitive advantage: Considering the problems of accessing high internet speed in China, businesses that find a compliant and stable solution can leverage it to get a lead over competitors and gain market share.
While the above issues hurt businesses of every kind, they are particularly restrictive to companies that host in China but are unable to secure an ICP permit.
Financial services businesses, e-commerce stores, gaming or live-streaming sites can find it particularly difficult to deliver reliable service without high-speed internet in China. A lack of speed undermines their whole business model and hurts consumer trust.
How to Boost Internet Speed in China?
Fast internet speed isn’t just nice to have for businesses – it’s as essential as electricity. Implementing a mix of the following tools, techniques, and approaches can contribute to improving performance.
Network Optimization Techniques
Network optimization is essential for navigating the complexity of Chinese internet infrastructure. Here are some tips.
Router configuration
- Use QoS packaging to prioritize important content
- Look at ISP default DNS settings. Explore alternative public DNS settings based on your region. Read this list to evaluate reliability.
Maximize your bandwidth
- Analyze WiFi connections and select the least crowded channels
- Ensure routers have the latest firmware
- Where possible, use an Ethernet cable to get more consistent speeds
Reduce interference
- Proximity to electronic devices can cause interference. Position routers away from machines, microwaves, and so on.
- Concrete can hamper WiFi signals, so ensure a direct path to routers.
Utilize Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)
CDNs are huge networks of distributed servers. They store copies of your web content, therefore limiting the distance data needs to travel when a user makes a request.
The power of a CDN lies in the fact that your content is cached and held on a regional server, which makes it quicker for users in the region. When paired with CDN’s intelligent routing, you can get smoother streaming and higher speeds.
Optimize Website Performance
If your internet speeds are low, you can make your website lighter through the following methods.
Image optimization: Compress images, use the right formats, and reduce page load through techniques like lazy loading.
Reduce HTTP requests: Combine small images into sprites, combine JavaScript and CSS files into a single file, and inline critical CSS files directly into HTML.
Leverage Proxy Servers or VPNs
Can you use VPNs in China? While the use of VPNs in China is not illegal, they are heavily restricted by the government. While some businesses use proxies and VPNs to mask IP addresses and get around blocks or restrictions on specific sites, this practice is not recommended.
Does VPN still work in China? Yes, but use is monitored. Security, encryption, reliability, and a strong awareness of VPN regulations are a must.
Use Local Data Centers and Cloud Services
Using local data centers and cloud services within China can help overcome issues with low speed. A local data center sends data to consumers from within China, reducing long-distance data transmission. Similarly, China has several cloud providers with enough coverage to reach Chinese user bases.
Get a Faster Internet Service Provider in China
China’s internet landscape is unique and presents challenges for businesses requiring fast, reliable internet connections. The country’s strict internet regulations and infrastructure limitations can result in slow and inconsistent internet speeds. To overcome these challenges, businesses in China should consider partnering with a dedicated internet access (DIA) provider.
DIA plans for businesses typically offer higher upload speeds than residential internet plans, which is crucial for tasks like file sharing, video conferencing, and cloud backups. This aspect is particularly important for businesses that engage in data-intensive activities or require seamless communication with remote teams or partners.
To ensure reliable connectivity and optimal performance, businesses may opt for managed DIA services. Managed DIA providers offer proactive monitoring, maintenance, and technical support, ensuring that internet connections are stable and any issues are promptly addressed.
In terms of pricing, DIA services can be more expensive compared to regular internet plans. However, businesses may find the investment worthwhile considering the guaranteed bandwidth and the impact it can have on productivity, efficiency, and overall business operations.
Overall, China’s internet speed for businesses with DIA varies depending on location, provider, and service tier. Major cities generally have faster speeds, and managed DIA services can provide additional reliability and support for enterprises that require consistent and high-performance internet connectivity.
Improving Internet Speed in China with Teridion
For a long time, high-quality internet connectivity to and from China required complex and expensive solutions, such as Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) or carrier circuits. Teridion’s cloud connectivity platform is rapidly transforming that reality for a growing number of businesses and technology partners. It’s the only Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform that connects dozens of cloud providers across more than 500 global points of presence (PoPs).
Teridion’s cloud connectivity solution uses smart AI-powered routing to ensure data finds the fastest path between any two points on the internet, reducing congestion and bottlenecks. The result is a secure, compliant service that performs like MPLS but at a fraction of the cost.
In contrast to many CDN providers that primarily rely on caching to enhance network performance for content delivery, Teridion dynamically identifies the most optimized path for traffic in real-time. This distinction is crucial because it ensures that Teridion’s solution consistently surpasses CDNs, especially for uploaded or real-time traffic like video and voice. Essentially, Teridion’s solution ensures superior network connectivity with minimized latency for dynamically generated traffic that cannot be cached nearby.
With Teridion businesses don’t need to worry about VPN compliance issues or VPN not working in China. Deploying and managing sites with high-speed internet performance becomes as simple and reliable as any other company sites that are geographically distributed around the world.
Implementation and Integration of Teridion in China
Teridon prioritizes ease of use for customers to ensure they get up and running with minimal hassle, usually in under a day. Here’s the process.
Consult: Teridon understands the regulatory landscape within China. Get in touch to discuss needs, goals, existing infrastructure, and required applications.
Connect: Use a secure IPsec tunnel to connect on-premise equipment to Teridon’s PoPs with China.
Configure: Configure network settings for optimal security, routing, and traffic protocols.
Once installed, Teridon’s premium real-time network monitoring ensures that service runs smoothly. Settings are adjusted and adapted as situations change.
How Businesses Use Teridion to Improve Internet Speed in China
Here is how Teridon makes an impact for modern businesses in China.
Better cloud application performance: Cloud-based SaaS platforms and communication tools are an essential part of modern business and productivity. We help companies to run these tools so that they are reliable and responsive.
Global connectivity: Teridon helps businesses connect worldwide. Whether you run a business in China or have an international subsidiary in the region, our SLA guarantees uptime so your business runs smoothly.
Quick data transfers: Teridon is also an elegant solution for sending files of any size, scheduling backups, and synchronizing data.
If you’re still unsure about how to boost your internet speed in China, we recommend exploring these case studies.
Case study 1: Learn how Teridon helped the components supplier Accucam connect its Chinese-based manufacturing plant to its Canadian headquarters.
Case study 2: See how the Teridon China solution helped American robotics firm ATI Industrial Automation deliver a superb site-to-site connection between their headquarters in North Carolina and their site in Lanfang, China.
Teridon is an innovative and proven solution for ensuring fast internet speeds within China. To learn more about our solution, click here.
