The eight interconnecting networks do not own most access networks in China. The ownership takes very different formats including foreign investments (not always officially legal in many cases), state ownership, quasi-state ownership, and private ownership. These access networks have the option of expanding their services into provincial, regional or even national operations. Individual users in most cities have the option to choose their service provider from several ISPs, which are often very competitive. The improving service quality and decreasing charges are often attributed to this competition.