People living in the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang province could have access to free Wi-Fi in the city’s more densely populated areas by the end of 2017, the local government has reported, noting that a local company had already installed the service in about 50 places downtown, such as transportation hubs, scenic areas, and shopping centers, by the end of last year.

It is now expected to expand to more districts and counties thanks to special government subsidies and the government announced that departments, such as the human resources and social security bureau, public security bureau and administrative service center will install Wi-Fi equipment in their service areas.

Harbin also says it is encouraging hotels and restaurants to provide free Wi-Fi access for their customers.