Jiang's Regime Mandates "Tracking and Censoring Software" for All Broadband Internet Users

China's Telecommunications Bureau recently released a new edict regarding the "reconfiguration" of Internet access in China. We have confirmed that this notice was issued nationwide. Broadband access to the Internet had been blocked. Users must now sign up for a "virtual dial-up account" in order to connect to the Internet. [Virtual dial-up accounts are still broadband accounts, however, users must install government-issued software that tracks their access to and use of the Internet.] Applicants must provide personal identification numbers, phone numbers and home addresses to the Telecommunication Bureau. They have no privacy while online. If this trend continues, the Telecommunication Bureau will be able to monitor all online accounts and online activity within China.

Broadband users who have not applied for virtual dial-up accounts will not be able to access the Internet.

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Translated Text of the "Notification Regarding the Reconfiguration of Broadband Internet Accounts"

To conform to the nationwide mandate, the "Special Campaign to Clean up Hazardous Information on Internet," our agency is now limiting broadband users' accounts to one account per customer. Currently, most broadband users have completed the account application and are now using the virtual dial-up accounts to access the Internet. To allow more time for the transition, we have extended the deadline to have accounts reconfigured from August 24 to September 9. The old way to access the Internet will be discontinued on September 9. Users who have not applied for the new configuration for broadband Internet, please go to any local office of the Telecommunication Bureau to complete the application as soon as possible. New account users who have not started using the virtual dial-up software: please install the software as soon as possible. Users who need help with in-home installation of the virtual dial-up account, please contact your local broadband maintenance department.

The reconfiguration of ADSL/VDSL user accounts commences on September 4. Users, please bring your personal identification documents to any local office of the Telecommunication Bureau to apply for a new account. The old, shared ADSL accounts will discontinue on September 30. Those ADSL / VDSL users who previously had access to the Internet via dynamic IP addresses need to install the virtual dial-up software. According to the mandate from high-level authorities, the reconfiguration of all broadband accounts must be completed by September 30 to ensure one account per user. All ADSL/VDSL users, please cooperate and apply as soon as possible.