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"WeChat helps me send information on Tibetan Buddhism and photos of ceremonies to my friends, both in Tibet and the rest of China," said Tob Chung, who is careful to keep his number of WeChat friends at about twenty: "I am conscious of not becoming a 'netbug'. I do not want the time I spend online to disturb my religious practice and study."

Nonetheless, he and the other lamas in the monastery like online shopping every bit as much as the next man. They buy books and supplies online.

"Online shopping is convenient and cost-effective. We can easily get things which are not readily available here," he said.

In the next two years, the Tibet regional government intends to "speed up elimination of communication dead zones in Tibet", and will bring mobile coverage to more than 600 villages, while strengthening existing coverage for nearly 600.

In this year's government work report, Premier Li Keqiang listed information services as one of the prime factors to boost domestic demand. His report promised to speed up 4G mobile network programs, build 100M fiber optic networks in cities and extend broadband connectivity to villages.