China's Three Main Telcos Add Just 2 Mln 5G Subs in January 2024
Marbridge Consulting, 2/20/24
The listed arms of China's three main telecom operators have announced their subscriber totals for the month of January 2024, including a combined net increase of approximately 2.29 mln 5G package subscribers in China, boosting their combined 5G package subscriber base to over 1.375 bln. As of the end of January, 5G package subscribers accounted for 79.6% and 78.7% of China Mobile's and China Telecom's total mobile subscriber bases, respectively.
China Mobile
China Mobile (0941.HK; 600941.SH) reported a net gain of 0.58 mln mobile subscribers during the month, raising the telecom operator's total mobile user base to 991.58 mln. China Mobile's 5G package subscriber base decreased by 4.99 mln in January to 789.51 mln.
China Mobile defines a 5G package customer as a mobile customer who has subscribed to 5G tariff plans. Customers sharing 5G tariff plans without subscription are not included in the operator's 5G subscriber totals.
China Mobile's total number of fixed-line broadband subscribers (registered accounts) rose by 2.61 mln in January to reach 300.86 mln.
China Telecom
China Telecom (0728.HK; 601728.SH) saw a net increase of 1.28 mln mobile subscribers in January, raising its total to 409.05 mln, of which 321.74 mln were 5G package subscribers. During the month, the operator's 5G user base rose by 3.08 mln subscribers.
China Telecom lost 0.13 mln fixed-line telephone subs in January, reducing its total to 100.89 mln.
China Telecom reported an increase of 1.28 mln fixed-line broadband subscribers (registered accounts) during the month, raising its total to 191.44 mln.
China Unicom
China Unicom (0762.HK; 600050.SH) reported that as of the end of January 2024, its aggregate number of "Big Connectivity" subscribers reached 1.002 bln, up 13.32 mln month-on-month. China Unicom's "Big Connectivity" category is comprised of the operator's combined total aggregate mobile billing subscribers, fixed-line telephone subscribers, fixed-line broadband subscribers, Internet-of-things terminal connections, and networking leased line subscribers. Of this total, 263.84 mln were 5G package subscribers, representing a net gain of 4.20 mln month-on-month; and 505.68 mln were Internet-of-things terminal connections, up 11.77 mln month-on-month.
China Unicom also reported that its number of customers served by virtual 5G industry private network for the month of January was 9,185, up 622 month-on-month.
Mobile Subscriber Stats for China's Three Main Carriers (Unit: Mln)
Operator | January 2024 Month-end Total | % of Combined Installed 5G Sub Base | January 2024 Net Change |
---|---|---|---|
China Mobile | 991.58 | 0.58 | |
5G Package Subs | 789.51 | 57.42% | -4.99 |
China Telecom | 409.05 | 1.28 | |
5G Package Subs | 321.74 | 23.40% | 3.08 |
China Unicom | |||
5G Package Subs | 263.84 | 19.19% | 4.20 |
China's fourth 5G telecom network operator, China Broadnet, saw its 5G user base surpass 23 mln by the end of 2023, according to statistics published today by China's National Radio and Television Administration.
Broadnet officially launched 5G network services just 20 months ago, on June 27, 2022. Because Broadnet is not yet reporting its 5G subscriber totals on a regular, monthly basis, Marbridge is not yet integrating its totals with those of China's three more established telecom operators above.
Keywords: wireless national statistics China Telecom China Mobile China Unicom fixed-line Internet broadband telecom mobile subscribers 5G broadband subscribers 0728.HK 0762.HK 0941.HK 600050.SH 601728.SH 600941.SH National Radio and Television Administration Broadnet fixed-line subscribers