China is killing off fax machines, pagers, and other classic tech

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The Chinese government is introducing several reform measures designed to put an end to aged or obsolete technology, with the likes of fax machines, wireless pagers and ISDN lines set to bite the dust.

A Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announcement reveals it will stop issuing network access permits to a number of technologies that have since been replaced.

This is a move that will see the country transition to newer equivalents, and an indication that the country is gearing up toward certifying new products.

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Classic tech in China

The MIIT announcement reveals that “fixed telephone terminals, cordless telephone terminals, group telephones, fax machines, modems (including cards), wireless pagers,” and plenty of other categories will be affected, leaving space for newer tools like VoIP.

The wording of the announcement suggests that the affected devices will still be able to connect to Chinese networks, however newer tech will be required to comply with the latest standards.

While this may not affect users in the short term, it may be a forewarning that the country is planning to step away from the dated tech, which could spell out a costly future for any companies still using products like fax machines, which may need to invest in updating their assets before long.

The MIIT promises to handle new network access permit applications submitted by enterprises within 15 working days, helping to make the introduction of new technologies more efficient.

The new measures will come into effect on March 1, 2023, as the world’s second-largest economy (and one of the fastest-growing) invests in future tech.

Elsewhere, Beijing has built a 1,000-server blockchain cluster capable of handling 240 million smart contract transactions per second in a bid to better process unimaginable amounts of citizen data.

Via The Register

Craig Hale

With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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