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As of 31 October 2020[update], China Mobile Limited's total market value stood at HK$965 billion, which is the largest red chip company.[10]
History
Incorporated in 1997 as China Telecom (Hong Kong) Limited,[1] China Mobile was born from the 1999 break-up of China Telecommunications Corporation.[11] This company continues to provide mobile services, however.[12]
adding Internet services to its core business of mobile services.
In October 2014, Nokia and China Mobile signed a $970 million framework deal for delivery between 2014 and 2015.[15]
In December 2021, China Mobile announced that its international arm would cease operations in Canada due to national security concerns by the Canadian government.[16]
In March 2022, the Federal Communications Commission designated China Mobile's U.S. subsidiary, China Mobile International USA, a national security threat.[23]
The company likely enjoys substantial protectionist benefits from China's government[25] but also experiences frequent government intervention in its business affairs.[26] Government control is maintained through a presumably government-owned holding company, China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. (formerly: China Mobile Communications Corporation; CMCC), that owns 100 percent ownership of China Mobile (HK) Group Limited,[27] which in turn holds over seventy percent ownership of China Mobile–the remainder being controlled by public investors.[2] Established in 2000,[27] CMCC is China Mobile Ltd's current parent company as of 2019[update].[4]
Services
Rural services
China Mobile was one of six state-owned companies that implemented the Connecting Every Village Project, which the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology began in 2004 to promote universal access to telecommunication and internet services in rural China.[29]: 24–25 The MIIT required that China Mobile and the other state-owned companies build the communications infrastructure and assist in financing the project.[29]: 25 As of December 2019,[update] 135 million rural households had used broadband internet.[29]: 25 The program successfully extended internet infrastructure throughout rural China and promoted development of the internet.[29]: 25
China Mobile has historically held a greater share of the rural market than competitors.[30] By 2006, its network had expanded to provide reception to 97% of the Chinese population,[31] and the company has since seen a sustained stream of new, rural mobile customers.[30]
It also offers services targeted at the rural market including an agricultural information service, which facilitates a variety of activities such as the sale and purchase of agricultural products, access to market prices for produce and crops, wire transfers, bank withdrawals, and payments, etc.[32]
Overseas activities
The company branched out in 2007 with the purchase of
In 2013, China Mobile eyed expansion into Myanmar expressing interest in bidding for one of two licences on offer in a partnership with Vodafone although this plan ultimately fell through.[35]
Digital barrier removal
In 2023, China Mobile's
QR codes as part of a program to remove barriers between the ecosystems of technology companies in China.[36]
Brands
Mainland China
Mobile services are available in Mainland China under several brands as of 2007.[37] As of 2013[update], the below brands are scheduled to be slowly phased out and replaced by an all-encompassing new brand name—And[38]—whose logo combines an exclamation point, the Chinese character for "peace" (和; Hé), as well as the English word "and".[39]
(Chinese: 动感地带; pinyin: Dònggǎndìdài Rough translation: "Dynamic Area"): a premium prepaid service popular with youths[41]
Easyown
(Chinese: 神州行; pinyin: Shénzhōuxíng Rough translation: "Travel across China"[40] (lit. "travel the holy states")): a basic prepaid mobile phone service more heavily marketed in rural areas[31]
Zong is China Mobile's brand in Pakistan and is operated by China Mobile Pakistan (CMPak), a subsidiary.[34]
United Kingdom
In December 2017, China Mobile launched a
MVNO service in the UK called CMLink. CMLink is aimed at the Chinese population living in the UK and Chinese visitors and students. Plans include free calls to China Mobile phones in China.[43]
Singapore
In June 2020, China Mobile launched a
MVNO
service called CMLink. It uses Singtel networks, which is one of Singapore's largest mobile network operator.
CMLink is aimed at the Chinese population living in the Singapore and Chinese visitors and students. Plans include free calls to China Mobile phones in China.[43]
Marketed as "G3", the company controls 70% of the Chinese mobile market but a far smaller percentage of the 3G market.[12] As of May 2012[update], its nearly 60 million 3G subscribers account for roughly 9% of its total subscriber base,[46] which is an increase from 3% in 2010.[12]
Its 3G network, still under construction in 2010, utilizes the
prefecture-level cities in China as of 2010[update].[47]
4G
Marketed as "and和", as of 2010, China Mobile has debuted small-scale 4G demonstration networks using a variant of
Long Term Evolution, TD-LTE, and has plans for larger, citywide demonstration networks in the future.[47] As of May 2012[update], such networks are in operation.[46]
While prior iPhone models could not use the China Mobile network due to the chipset relying on WCDMA-based networks, talks to carry the then unreleased 4G iPhone (iPhone 5) began in mid-2012.[46] The iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s were sold through China Mobile starting in January 2014.[48]
5G
China Mobile is developing a 5G service. As part of this development, Huawei has been awarded 52 percent of 5G contracts in 2023 (estimated at 45,426 base stations).[49]
Everest
In 2003 and again in 2007, China Mobile provided mobile services on Mount Everest.[50]
Spratly Isles coverage
In May 2011, China Mobile announced its network now includes the controversial Spratly Islands.[51]