Marbridge Daily

5G Subscriber Base of China's Three Main Telcos Nears 624 Mln in September 2021

Marbridge Consulting, 10/25/21

The listed arms of China's three main telecom operators have announced their subscriber totals for the month of September 2021, including a combined net increase of approximately 10.1 mln mobile subscribers in China, boosting their combined mobile subscriber base to nearly 1.641 bln. Among the combined net increase in mobile subscribers, 43.88 mln were 5G package subscribers.

As of the end of September 2021, 5G package subscribers accounted for 43.4%, 42.1%, and 34.7% of the total mobile subscriber bases of China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Mobile, respectively.

China Mobile

China Mobile (0941.HK) reported a net gain of 4.61 mln mobile subscribers during the month, raising the telecom operator's total mobile user base to 955.71 mln. Of this total, 815.74 mln were 4G subscribers and 331.22 mln were 5G package customers, representing net increases of 4.65 mln and 27.08 mln, respectively, compared to the previous month. Of the total 5G package customers, approximately 160 mln were 5G network users.

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 defines 5G network customers as "mobile customers who have used the 5G network in the current month and stayed on the network at the end of the month" (in contrast to those 5G package subscribers who are simply taking advantage of attractive 5G tariff plans, but not actually using the 5G network.)

China Mobile added 4.16 mln new fixed-line broadband subscribers (registered accounts) in September, increasing its total fixed-line broadband user base to 235.35 mln.

China Telecom

China Telecom (0728.HK; 601728.SH) saw a net increase of 2.86 mln mobile subscribers in September, raising its total to 369.66 mln, of which 155.54 mln were 5G package subscribers. During the month, the operator's 5G package subscriber base rose by 8.92 mln subscribers. Unlike China Mobile, China Telecom does not break out a figure for how many of its 5G package subscribers are actually 5G network users.

China Telecom lost 0.02 mln fixed-line telephone subs in September, reducing its total to 107.09 mln.

China Telecom added 1.68 mln fixed-line broadband subscribers (registered accounts) during the month, increasing its total to 167.64 mln.

China Unicom

China Unicom (0762.HK; 600050.SH) reported a net gain of 2.60 mln mobile billing subscribers, increasing its total mobile billing user base to 315.55 mln. Of the total, 136.95 mln were 5G package subscribers, with a net addition of 7.88 mln 5G package subs during the month. Unlike China Mobile, China Unicom does not break out a figure for how many of its 5G package subscribers are actually 5G network users.

China Unicom lost 0.03 mln fixed-line telephone subscribers in September, dropping its total to 47.10 mln.

The operator gained 1.51 mln fixed-line broadband subscribers (registered accounts) in September, raising its total to 93.00 mln.

User Base Market Share by Operator

China Mobile's share of the nation's total mobile subscriber base as of the end of September 2021 shrank further to 58.24%, compared to 58. 32% at the end of August 2021 and 58.96% at the end of September 2020. China Telecom's share grew to 22.53%, up from 22.49% at the end of August 2021 and 21.77% at the end of September 2020, and China Unicom's share increased to 19.23%, up from 19.19% at the end of August 2021 but down from 19.27% at the end of September 2020.

Mobile Subscriber Stats for China's Three Main Carriers (Unit: Mln)

Keywords: wireless China Telecom China Mobile China Unicom fixed-line broadband telecom 4G mobile subscribers 5G broadband subscribers 0728.HK 0762.HK 0941.HK 600050.SH 601728.SH fixed-line subscribers