China Uses Olympics to Push its Own Technology

The 2008 Beijing Olympics are going to be amazing on many levels. From the sponsors, to the media uncovering human rights violations and other issues to watching China win a plethora of medals.

Over the next two years, China is going to use the Olympics as a way to market the country and to gain leverage on issues the government wants fix.

According to Techdirt:

"China's really trying to take advantage of the Beijing Olympics to show off its technological prowess, particularly in wireless. It's been saying for some time that its 3G mobile networks will be up and running in time for the games, but it's continually pushed back (for what's going on four years) the government approvals necessary to start building and operating them, because its homegrown TD-SCDMA standard hasn't been ready. By holding back the country's mobile networks this way, and potentially forcing foreign visitors to buy new WAPI-compatible equipment to use WiFi at the Olympics, China's not demonstrating its technological ability; it's demonstrating that protectionism is still the order of the day."

Don’t get me wrong, I would have LOVED the opportunity to have gone to the Games – Damn you Manulife. I think the Games will be spectacular, but there is also going to be a plethora of drama.