Chinese wireless operators showed robust year-over-year growth in net customer additions, with all three of the country’s largest carriers showing increased demand for mobile, and more specifically 3G, services. The results also showed increasing impact from Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone device that recently expanded to a second carrier, but has also shown a dramatic impact on operations at the final carrier still not officially carrying the phone.
The country’s largest operator China Mobile (CHL) said it added 5.961 million customers in February, pushing its world-leading customer base to 661.4 million subscribers. The monthly growth was just ahead of the 5.651 million customers the carrier added in 2011.
China Mobile noted that 3G customers, which use China Mobile’s TD-SCDMA-based network, numbered 56.6 million (8.6% of its customer base) at the end of the month.China Mobile announced last year that it would begin trialing TD-LTE technology.
A report earlier this month from Forbes noted that China Mobile counted 15 million iPhone devices running on its network despite not having an agreement with Apple to sell the device. China Mobile and Apple have been reportedly in negotiations for some time on bringing the iPhone officially to the carrier’s network.
China Unicom (CHU) said it added 3.075 million new customers in February, including 2.825 million to its 3G service and just 250,000 to its 2G offering. Of its 3G net additions, the carrier said just 188,800 were customers signing up to service with a 3G wireless modem. China Unicom, which operates a GSM/W-CDMA-based network, has been offering Apple’s iPhone since 2009.
The monthly growth was well ahead of the 1.941 million customers the carrier added in 2011. The carrier ended the month with nearly 206 million customers, including just over 160 million 2G subscribers and nearly 46 million 3G customers, or approximately 22% of its customer base.
China’s third-largest operator, China Telecom (CHA), said it added 3.08 million customers in February, pushing its customer base to 132.33 million subscribers. The carrier noted that it added 2.45 million 3G customers last month, with 3G customers now accounting for just over 31% of its customer base.
The monthly growth was also ahead of 2011 figures when the carrier added 2.4 million new customers, with just under half signing up for the carrier’s CDMA-based 3G service.
China Telecom earlier this month began offering a CDMA version of Apple’s iPhone device. The device is available for $538 down to free depending on model and accompanying rate plan.
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