China Mobile ended September with 539 million 5G network customers
China Mobile, the world’s largest operator in terms of subscribers, has ended the third quarter of the year with over 1 billion mobile customers, of which more than half are 5G customers. In the 5G segment, the Chinese carrier ended September with 539 million network customers, up from 514 million at end-June, according to the company’s earnings statement.
China Mobile had ended the first half of the year with a total of 2.3 million 5G base stations, after adding 351,000 base stations in the period, according to previous reports
China Mobile reported operating revenues of CNY791.5 billion ($111 billion) in the first three quarters of the year, up 2% year-on-year.
The company’s net profit increased 5.1% year-on-year to CNY110.9 billion. Also, the operator reported that revenue from telecommunications services was CNY678.2 billion in the period, up by 2% year-on-year.
Also, the carrier’s total number of wireline broadband customers reached 314 million as of the end of September, with a net increase of 15.36 million in the first three quarters of the year. The number of household broadband customers reached 276 million at the end of Q3, with a net increase of 12.46 million in the first three quarters of the year.
“The Group will continue to pursue stable progress while forging ahead with a steadfast focus on integrity and innovation. It will also develop new quality productive forces at an accelerated pace, promote digital-intelligent transformation and high-quality growth, thus creating greater value for its shareholders and customers,” the telco said.
China Mobile plans to launch 5G-Advanced (5G-A) technology in over 300 cities across China this year, according to previous press reports.
The telco, which claims a leading role in the development of 5G-A standards, also plans to promote the release of over 20 5G-A compatible phones within the year.
To showcase its new 5G-A network, China Mobile has established 5G-A demonstration halls in various locations across China. The carrier also said it aims to achieve widespread adoption of 5G-A technology in China through partnerships with manufacturers and chip suppliers.
Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are among the first cities where China Mobile will activate the new technology.
China is expected to reach a 5G adoption rate of 90% by 2030, making it a world leader in this space, according to the GSMA’s Mobile Economy China 2024. The report predicted that by the end of this year, the county will surpass 1 billion 5G connections and that by 2030, the number will soar to 1.6 billion connections, contributing $260 billion to China’s GDP.