Internet-based education programmes tailored to fanners or the general rural population become feasible with reliable broadband networks, raising farm productivity and supporting the development of non-agricultural rural industries. A well-functioning broadband network may also help increase the efficiency of China’s rural social welfare systems, improving welfare assessment and targeting and better informing rural citizens about nearby services and opportunities. A recent survey covering 3 000 households in Guizhou, Jilin and Shandong provinces found that only around a quarter of the villages had a facility for public internet access (World Bank, 2013b). The State Council has prioritised the completion of a national broadband network covering both urban and rural areas by 2020.