Almost half of China now mobile savvy

December 3, 2016

Subscribers to mobile communications services in China hit 627.27 million during October according to figures released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Forty seven percent of China’s population now use a mobile phone.

The figures represent an on month growth in mobile subscriptions of 0.5% and an on year growth of 18%.

The number of mobile users in China has increased 79.96 million during the first ten months of 2016, although take up of 3.22 million during October represents a significant slow down.

The MIIT said the deceleration in new mobile phone users during October is unlikely to be because of the global recession, but more likely to be due to a change in the structure and operating body of the country’s key mobile networks.

The new operating body measures mobile phone take up in a different way, which is the probable cause of the apparent slowdown.

October also saw fixed line subscribers in China fall to 351.44 million, representing a 1.71 million decline in subscriptions.

During October mobile phone users in China sent almost 60 billion text messages, an average of 3.1 messages per user per day.

Revenue in China’s telecoms sector during the first ten months of 2016 hit $99.5 billion, up 8.1% on year, whilst investment in the sector during the period increased 9.9% on year.