China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing 1 billion subscribers by the end of July. This growth is notable as the company added 559,000 new mobile subscribers in July alone, bringing its total to 9.8 million new subscribers in the first seven months of the year.
Notably, China Mobile has also seen significant growth in the 5G space. The company reported a net addition of 13.7 million 5G customers in July, bringing the total to 527.9 million. Additionally, the company expanded its network infrastructure by adding 351,000 5G base stations in the first half of the year, bringing the total to 2.3 million.
Financially, China Mobile reported operating revenue of 546.7 billion yuan ($76.3 billion) in the first half of the year, up 3 percent from the same period last year. Net profit also rose 5.3 percent to 80.2 billion yuan. Revenue from communications services rose 2.5 percent to 463.6 billion yuan.
China Mobile has made an ambitious move by announcing plans to roll out 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology in more than 300 cities across China this year. Gao Tongqing, the company’s vice president, highlighted the importance of this development, citing the strengthening of information infrastructure and the potential of 5G technology. China Mobile aims to promote the widespread adoption of 5G-A technology through partnerships with manufacturers and chip suppliers. Well-known cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou will be among the first to benefit from this new technology.
China’s commitment to 5G technology is clear, with 5G adoption rates expected to reach 90% by 2030. According to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy China 2024 report, China will surpass 1 billion 5G connections by the end of this year, reaching 1.6 billion by 2030, making a significant contribution of $260 billion to the country’s GDP.
The surge in 5G deployment is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it signals China’s rapid technological advancement and economic growth potential. On the other, it raises concerns about the pace of infrastructure development and potential market saturation. However, China Mobile’s aggressive strategy to expand its 5G network and infrastructure appears to be a promising move toward sustained growth and innovation.
