Page 45 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

China Mobile Books 10% Uptick in Annual

Turnover

Chinese full-service provider China fully implemented its ‘5G+’ plan in 2021 of a voice-over-New Radio (VoNR) feature.
Mobile has booked operating revenue of and, through its partnership with China China Mobile counted a total of 957 million
CNY848.3 billion (USD133.1 billion) for the Broadcasting Network (CBN), it was able mobile subscriptions at the end of 2021,
year to 31 December 2021, an increase of to benefit from the combined advantages up from 942 million a year earlier. Its 5G
10.4% year-on-year and of which telecom of the 2.6GHz and 4.9GHz frequency package customer total (i.e. the number of
service revenue accounted for CNY751.4 bands for capacity and the 700MHz band subscriptions that can potentially use 5G
billion (up 8.0% from 2020). The company for coverage. By the end of the year it services) reached 387 million (up 134.4%
attributed the growth in part to rapid had deployed a total of 730,000 5G base y-o-y), of which 207 million were network
expansion in areas including smart home stations – 200,000 of which were on the users (subscriptions with a 5G plan and
services, data and ICT (DICT), mobile cloud, 700MHz band – providing ‘continuous compatible device that have accessed the
digital content and digital transformation, 5G network coverage across urban 5G network). Meanwhile, monthly mobile
which it said accounted for nearly 60% districts, counties, towns and villages, ARPU improved to CNY48.8 in 2021 from
of the growth in telecommunications with favorable coverage in some of the key CNY47.4 in 2020. IoT connections totaled
service revenue. Annual EBITDA rose 9.1% regions and locations, developed villages, 1.049 billion at end-2021, compared to 873
y-o-y to CNY311.0 billion, whilst net profit key buildings and venues.’ In addition, million twelve months earlier.
attributable to shareholders grew by 7.7% China Mobile confirmed that it has rolled
to CNY116.1 billion. Mobile noted that it out 5G voice for commercial use in the form

China Mobile Returns to Consumer Growth Led by 5G

China Mobile credited profit and revenue Jie noted the residential market reversed Yang also noted revenue related to digital
growth in 2021 to a turnaround in its a downward trajectory with positive transformation projects became its largest
consumer market, with 5G subscribers growth in 2021, with revenue from the revenue growth driver during the year
more than doubling and ARPU inching unit increasing 1.4 per cent year-on- and added the number of customers with
higher. In a statement, chairman Yang year to CNY483.4 billion ($75.8 billion). both 5G plans and handsets, referred to

45 MARCH-APRIL 2022