More than 30 million people will have access to the Internet at home by the end of the year,  according to the Ministry of Information Technology,according to today's China Daily.

    Recent statistics show that sales of networking equipment  reached 5.7 billion yuan（US$690 million） in the first half  of this year.

    "China's networking equipment market will grow at an annual  speed of 35 per cent in the next three years and the market  will be massive," said Chen Jianying, a networking equipment  marketing analyst.

    Industry officials have much faith in the increasing market.

    "With the break of foreign companies' monopoly of technologies and the increase of people's demand for Internet surfing, there  will be many opportunities for domestic businesses," said Juliet  Wu, president of TCL Networking Equipment Co Ltd, which has  recently formed a strategic alliance with five counterparts  from Taiwan.

    According to their agreement, the Taiwanese companies will  provide advanced technology in broadband networking products  to TCL Networking.

    The Shenzhen-based TCL Network also introduced US$5 million  from a Hong Kong venture capitalist to develop new technologies  and products.

    "The demand for broadband network facilities by family users,  communities, and online educational establishments will be high  in the future and those will be our main target areas," said  Bo Lianming, TCL Networking's general manager.

    Jeff Wang, chief financial officer of the Taiwan-based Accton  Technology Corp, predicted a rosy picture for his company.

    "The market potential is huge and it will be a fatal mistake  for those that ignore it," Wang said. The company, which supplies  international giants like CISCO, will expand its production  base in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province to meet demands from the  mainland.