MUMBAI: State Administration of Radio, Film and Television China has granted licence to four companies in the country for digital television broadcasting.

The decision indicates country's plans to expand competition in the television arena. The move will also end the monopoly on digital television held by State broadcaster China Central Television (CCT).

What is significant here is that all the four broadcasting companies that have been granted the licence - Shanghai TV, China Broadcast Network Company, CHC Home Cinema and a five-company consortium that includes China National Radio - are owned by the government.

A recent digital project in the coastal town Qingdao converted 600,00 homes to digital television with 60 government channels. China is expected to have 30 million TV viewers by 2008.