Namibia's Digital Transformation Journey Continues Unabated

Namibia, with its vast landscapes and scattered population, presents unique challenges for mobile operators. As of 2024, the mobile sector in Namibia has continued to grow steadily, with increasing investment in infrastructure, wider network coverage, and improved service offerings.

According to GSMA Intelligence, Namibia had 2.91 million mobile connections at the beginning of 2024. However, it's important to note that many people globally use multiple mobile connections—one for personal use and another for work, for instance—so it's common for the number of connections to surpass the total population. GSMA Intelligence data shows that, as of January 2024, mobile connections in Namibia equalled 110.8% of the population. This represents a decrease of 18,000 connections (or -0.6%) from the start of 2023 to the start of 2024.

The major players in Namibia's mobile telecommunications sector are Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) and Telecom Namibia, with other operators like Paratus offering specialized services. MTC’s market share in subscriber terms was 82% at the end of 2023 and Telecom Namibia at 17%. Paratus does not yet have a significant number of wireless subscribers, only 0.3%.

Mobile network coverage continues to increase across the country, with the regulator having urged the MNOs to focus investment in rural areas and thus support the government’s broadband coverage targets. The government in late 2023 lifted its moratorium against 5G deployments and the regulator followed by completing an auction of 5G-suitable spectrum in the 700MHz range. MTC began trialling 5G at the end of the year, while the regulator launched a campaign to educate the public about the benefits of 5G while dispelling the misinformation about the technology which had stalled its adoption earlier.

MTC is the first mobile phone provider with the most customers in Namibia and a pretty good coverage. It's the recommended network for travellers.  

MTC has retained its dominant position in Namibia's mobile telecom market, holding an estimated 84% market share, covering 98% of the population, and serving a customer base of 2.17 million, according to managing director Licky Erastus. The company has also aggressively expanded into the internet and fixed-line broadband market, achieving a 115% increase in revenue growth.

MTC's network now consists of 1,014 active sites, with 70% of these sites 4G-enabled, handling 50% of the company’s mobile data traffic.

Erastus noted that MTC initiatives continue to ensure that rural Namibians have access to the same mobile broadband experience as those in urban areas. In 2023, MTC upgraded 97 rural sites, 67 of which were equipped with refarmed spectrum to support 4G/LTE technology.

MTC and Huawei Technologies have held the country's first 5G technology demonstration in Windhoek after the government lifted a moratorium on 5G and allocated spectrum to telecom providers.

Minister of ICT, Emma Theofelus, hailed the event as a milestone for Namibia, emphasizing the importance of adopting advanced technology for national development. "This trial marks Namibia's commitment to leveraging technology for progress," she said, highlighting 5G's role in enabling e-governance, e-commerce, and e-health through faster connectivity. Huawei has previously partnered with MTC to bring 3G, 4G, and 4.5G technologies to Namibia.

Telecom Namibia Limited is the national telecommunications operator, established in August 1992 and wholly owned by the Government of the Republic of Namibia. Telecom Namibia is serving more than 619,000 (fixed and mobile) customers and annual revenue of more than N$ 1,4 Billion. Telecom Namibia runs the largest Digital Telecommunication Network in Namibia. The company is a leading supplier of voice, text, data and video solutions.

Telecom Namibia has entered into a five-year partnership with Huawei Technologies Namibia, aiming to enhance its mobile network capabilities and coverage nationwide. This collaboration is part of Telecom Namibia's Integrated Strategic Business Plan (ISBP) 2027, which outlines plans to invest in modernizing and expanding the TN mobile network. The initiative includes the deployment of new mobile base stations and upgrading existing ones across the country. Under the agreement, Telecom Namibia will acquire advanced mobile radio access equipment from Huawei to boost network capacity and coverage, particularly in underserved areas. This partnership will support the rollout of cutting-edge mobile technologies such as 4G, 4.5G, and 5G, providing consumers with faster, more reliable mobile broadband services.

Paratus Telecom holds licenses for 4G/LTE on band 3 (1800 MHz) in Windhoek and refarms its old WIMAX customers to 2600 TD-LTE (Band 38). It boast with the lowest prices for data in the country, but its network is limited to 4G/LTE.

Paratus is currently serving over 700 commercial and business customers across Namibia and quickly expanding into the residential and small business markets.  Additionally, Paratus is also now peering with four national and eight international interconnect operators to provide global calling plans.

The mobile telecommunications sector in Namibia is at an exciting phase, with major operators like MTC and Telecom Namibia leading the charge toward a more connected and digital future. However, significant challenges remain in terms of affordability, rural access, and staying competitive in the rapidly changing technological landscape. Despite these hurdles, the future looks bright, with a clear focus on innovation and expanding services to meet the needs of the entire population.

Namibia's journey to becoming a fully connected society will depend on sustained investment, collaboration between private and public sectors, and the continual evolution of mobile technology.

Related Posts: 

• The 3G4G Blog: 4G/LTE, 5G and Private Networks in Africa
• Operator Watch Blog: Data Usage Growing in Namibia but No 5G Please 

Case Study: AIS Thailand’s Transformation to 5G-Driven Autonomous Operations

At FutureNet Asia 2024, held on 17-18 September at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, AIS's EVP, Mr. Wasit Wattanasap, discussed the company’s 5G growth, AI integration, and contribution to Thailand’s digital economy.

He highlighted AIS’s investment in autonomous networks and intelligent IT systems to enhance operational efficiency, manage costs, and improve customer experiences. AIS aims to future-proof its infrastructure for the next generation of connectivity.

AI will play a key role in AIS’s network operations, aiming for real-time, personalised interactions and fully autonomous network processes by 2025. Already nearing "level 3.5" AI integration, AIS plans to advance towards "level 4" predictive networks that proactively address issues before they impact customers, improving both service quality and customer satisfaction.

His talk is embedded below:

Telecom Review has an interview with him here.

Related Posts: 

• The 3G4G Blog: Detection of Real-world Fake Base Station (FBS) Attacks in Thailand
• Operator Watch Blog: 5G lights up Thailand’s digital future
• Operator Watch Blog: Thai Operators AIS and True have launched 5G
• Operator Watch Blog: AIS Thailand, Preparing for a 5G World
• Private Networks Technology Blog: Advancing Digitalization and Sustainability for a Smarter and Greener Port 

Somaliland Aspires to Lead Africa in 5G Development

Somaliland is a self-governing region that declared independence from Somalia in 1991, although its sovereignty remains unrecognized by both Somalia and the international community. With a population of around 3.5 million, Somaliland operates with its own government.

In recent years, Somaliland has made significant strides in developing its telecommunications sector. Companies like Telesom and Somtel have played key roles in providing affordable mobile phone services and high-speed internet. Mobile banking services, such as Telesom’s Zaad, have transformed how people manage financial transactions. 

However, internet access in rural areas remains limited, and connection speeds in urban areas still fall short of global standards. Despite these challenges, Somaliland is one of the first low-income nations, particularly in Africa, to adopt 5G technology. This development offers a unique chance to bypass traditional broadband infrastructure, potentially delivering faster, more reliable internet services and driving technological progress.

Somtel introduced 5G in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, in partnership with eDahab, the leading mobile payments provider in January 2024. The company claims to be the first operator in the region to launch a 5G network. Other African nations that have rolled out 5G include South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria.

Founded in 1998, Somtel is a publicly traded company registered in the British Virgin Islands. Since 2008, UAE-based MTO Dahabshiil has owned approximately 95% of Somtel's shares. The eDahab money transfer service operates through Somtel's SIM cards and Dahabshiil’s money transfer platform. Somtel has previously introduced 4G to the region, implemented VoLTE and eSIM technology, and launched Bluekom Fiber services.

Meanwhile Telesom also launched their 5G network again in January of this year. According to Telesom chairperson Abdikarim Eid  Somaliland’s 5G rollout reflects the country’s resilience and commitment to a better future. “We’ve launched ahead of 36 African countries, many of which have stronger economies than ours,” Eid stated. “Our goal is to provide subscribers with near-instantaneous download speeds that will boost local industries, including education, healthcare, transport, and agriculture.”

With download speeds reaching 1,016 megabits per second, Eid envisions Telesom’s 5G network unlocking new possibilities, driving innovations like smart farming, remote surgeries, and immersive virtual reality education. “It’s not just about speed; it’s about opening a new era of opportunities for our people and preparing for the future,” he said.

Affordability will be key to widespread 5G adoption, but Somalia, including Somaliland, is already among Africa’s top five countries with the most affordable mobile internet. According to the 2023 Worldwide Mobile Data Pricing index by UK-based Cable, Somalia has the cheapest mobile internet in East Africa, with an average of $0.50 per gigabyte (GB) and the lowest provider offering just $0.19 per GB.

Somaliland’s journey to 5G has not been easy. The country faced conflicts last year and continues to deal with militia threats, which have slowed infrastructure development, including the expansion of high-speed internet.

With extensive coastlines, Somaliland and Somalia have access to undersea fiber optic cables, but fiber internet is largely concentrated in urban areas. Eid noted, “Telesom’s fixed wireless access (FWA) using our 5G network will allow us to bring high-speed internet to areas beyond the fiber network in every city we serve.”

Despite a high internet penetration rate of 95%, Somaliland’s 5G rollout may face challenges, particularly due to the relatively high cost of 5G-enabled devices, similar to what Kenya has experienced.

While analysts estimate that 5G could add $2.2 trillion to Africa’s economy by 2034, the impact will depend on how quickly the private sector integrates the technology into business. As 5G spreads across Africa, one thing is clear: Somaliland is now a key player in the high-speed internet revolution.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Somalia to get 100% 4G Coverage by 2023 

SK Telecom on 'Applying AI to Transform Customer Experience'

FutureNet Asia 2024 took place from September 17-18 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, marking the event's fourth edition. Earlier this year, FutureNet World celebrated its sixth year in London. The event brought together over 400 industry leaders and visionaries to explore the intersections of network automation and AI.

Eric Davis, Vice President of the AI Tech Collaboration Group at SK Telecom, oversees collaborations with global tech partners to customize large language models (LLMs) for the telecommunications domain. His teams are responsible for designing and building datasets to fine-tune LLMs, as well as benchmarking LLMs both generally and specifically for the telecommunications sector. He gave an insightful talk on how SK Telecom is 'Applying AI to Transform Customer Experience'.

His talk is embedded below:

Following this event, SK Telecom announced AI Pyramid Strategy to become a global AI company. In a press release, they announced:

SKT sets forth ‘AI Pyramid Strategy’ to accelerate innovation centered around three key areas: AI Infrastructure, AI Transformation (AIX) and AI Service.

• AI Infrastructure, which consists of data center, AI semiconductor, and multi LLM, will serve as a technology platform that forms the basis of SKT as an AI company.
• AI Transformation (AIX) of SKT’s core business areas such as mobile, broadband and enterprise, as well as new business areas like mobility and healthcare will be pursued to reach a new level of productivity and customer experience.
• In the area of AI Service, SKT announces the official launch of ‘A.’ and plans to build a globally competitive personal AI assistant service by leveraging its telco and AI assets.

It further mentioned:

SKT today announced that it has branded its AI technology as ‘A.X’ and named its large language model ‘A.X LLM’.

The company is pursuing a multi-LLM strategy, under which it takes a two-track approach to secure diverse LLM lineup as well as an overall platform that encompasses the LLMs. It is advancing its own LLM based on high-quality data accumulated over decades. Simultaneously, SKT is collaborating with a diverse range of partners, including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Konan Technology, to develop tailored LLM and related technologies specifically for the telco industry.

First, in terms of strengthening its own capabilities, SKT plans to advance its LLMs into telco-specific LLMs by leveraging its abundant telecommunications-related data.

In addition, the company will continue to secure more sophisticated LLM technologies based on its supercomputer Titan, which ranked no. 47 on the Top 500 list of the world's most powerful supercomputers; high understanding of the Korean language trained with the world’s largest Korean language data; intelligence platform where multi LLMs and AI technologies customized for diverse telco use cases can be utilized; and multimodal LLM technologies that support communication via not only text but also voice, video, and so on.

SKT invested USD 100 million in Anthropic last month, and is working together with Anthropic to develop LLM customized to telcos. The company is also cooperating with Open AI, which includes co-hosting of an AI hackathon in Korea. SKT also invested KRW 22.4 billion in Konan Technology last year, and the two companies are collaborating to enter into the enterprise market with LLMs customized to corporate customers.

■ AI Transformation (AIX)

In the area of AIX, which is located in the middle layer of the AI Pyramid, SKT will innovate its existing core business areas like mobile, broadband and enterprise with AI, while at the same time expanding into new business areas such as mobility, AI healthcare, media and advertising technology. 

In the mobile business, the company stated that AI holds the power to significantly improve both profitability and customer experience. AI can not only be used to acquire/retain customers and provide better customer support via AI Contact Centers (AICC), but also be applied to the network infrastructure to enhance the efficiency in network deployment and operation. The company expects that, in the mid-to long-term, AI will help reduce 20 to 30% of costs compared to the current level.

SKT will also evolve SK Broadband’s Btv service into AI TV to deliver a new level of convenience and value. For instance, ‘AI Curation’ will identify the user and show personalized TV; and ‘AI Home’ will allow users to enjoy various media services by conversing with an AI agent.

In addition, by combining multi LLM with existing AI solutions like Vision AI, Language AI and Big Data AI, the company to expand its AICC business to financial institutions and data platform business to manufacturers. For its generative AI business, it will build customized services for public and financial institutions with strong needs for security and specialized services, while providing SaaS bundles to general corporate customers.

Furthermore, SKT will continue to pursue AI innovation and expand the overall AI ecosystem by growing its new business areas such as urban air mobility (UAM) and AI-based healthcare services like X Caliber. The company will also promote mergers and acquisitions in areas including media and advertising technology to create new business opportunities through AI transformation.

■ AI Service

SKT today announced the official launch of ‘A.’, the world’s first Korean LLM service released in the beta version in 2022. 

The company said that ‘A.’ will evolve into a personal AI assistant service by innovating customers’ communication experience and fully assisting their everyday lives via seamless connection to a wide variety of AI services. 

SKT plans to add an AI phone service, which enables new connections through communication innovation that can only be achieved by a telco. The AI phone will provide a variety of AI services and mobile experiences based on understanding and reasoning of call context.

For instance, it will recommend people to call based on call history and analyze the content exchanged during a call with AI to provide a call summary. At the same time, it connects users to necessary tasks, such as registering the schedule made during a call to the calendar or sharing addresses. More features such as real-time interpretation during calls will also be added going forward.

In terms of integrating AI into all aspects of daily life, SKT will start by offering an AI sleep management solution named ‘A. sleep’ and an AI music service this month.

‘A. sleep’ is developed by combining sleep management solution startup Asleep’s sleep solution and SKT’s AI. It evaluates sleep quality by analyzing user’s sleep patterns. No separate device is needed. It helps users start their day in the best possible condition by determining the ideal wake-up time depending on their sleep status and quality.

The AI music service will not only allow users to edit their playlist by simply talking to A., but also automatically recommend music that matches their tastes based on its generative customer prediction model.

Going forward, SKT plans to leverage its AI service-related experience and knowhow accumulated in the Korean market to develop a powerful personal AI assistant service that can attract global customers.

The company expects that its partnerships with diverse global players – including the Global Telco AI Alliance – will help accelerate its progress. SKT plans to expand its presence in the global AI service market by launching personal AI assistant services simultaneously in many countries across the world by working closely with telcos for localization and advancement of these services.

You can read the complete press release here.

Eric shared some interesting lessons that they have learned as part of rolling out their LLM powered use cases as can be seen from his slide above.

Related Posts: 

• Free 6G Training: A Discussion on SK Telecom's First 6G Whitepaper from Wireless Future Podcast
• Free 6G Training: SK Telecom Releases 6G White Paper Looking at Lessons Learned in 5G and Way Forward with 6G
• Free 6G Training - SK Telecom 6G White Paper: View on Future AI Telco Infrastructure
• Operator Watch Blog: Is South Korea Losing its 5G Crown?
• Operator Watch Blog: 5G Network Sharing using MOCN for Rural South Korea
• Operator Watch Blog: Wi-Fi and 5G Status in South Korea 

5G is Growing Slowly in Croatia

Croatia, a picturesque country with a vibrant telecommunications sector, has a competitive mobile market that has evolved significantly over the years. With increasing mobile penetration, enhanced network infrastructure, and a growing demand for data services, the mobile landscape in Croatia is an interesting one to explore. Having written about the imminent launch of 5G in 2020, we were hoping for a lot more progress with 5G rollout so far.

Croatia's telecom market is largely controlled by the incumbent operator Hrvatski Telekom, along with the local branches of United Group and Telekom Austria. However, competition remains strong, supported by several smaller operators. The regulator has played a key role in fostering this competitive environment by implementing measures to facilitate network access and promoting regional licensing. Notably, two recent 5G licenses were allocated specifically for regional rather than national operators.

The mobile market consists of three major network operators (MNOs). These providers have been focused on increasing average revenue per user (ARPU) by encouraging prepaid customers to switch to postpaid plans and boosting revenue from mobile data services. While 5G is now widely available, the full impact of the technology will become apparent after 2021, following the distribution of licenses across various frequency bands. This spectrum, previously reserved for GSM, 3G, and LTE services, will play a key role in the government’s national broadband plan extending to 2027, which aligns with the European Commission’s goals to achieve gigabit connectivity by the end of 2025.

2G on Hrvatski Telekom and A1 is on 900 MHz and Telemach on 1800 MHz, 3G is on 900 MHz and 2100 MHz with all three providers. 4G/LTE is available on bands 1, 3, 7 and 20 (800, 1800, 2100 and 2700 MHz) with carrier aggregation available on all three providers. In 2021 all three operators are rolling out 5G. Hrvatski Telekom and A1 have started on n28 (700 MHz) and n78 (3500 MHz), and are now open for all Hrvatski Telekom prepaid packages and the unlimited A1 prepaid package, but not yet on Telemach and MVNOs.

Hrvatski Telekom (HT) is the largest mobile operator in Croatia, controlling a significant portion of the market. As part of the Deutsche Telekom Group, HT benefits from the vast expertise and resources of one of Europe’s largest telecom companies. HT has consistently led the market in terms of both subscribers and network quality.

Recently Rijeka Gateway has announced a 5G standalone (SA) connectivity partnership with Hrvatski Telekom (HT), marking the implementation of an advanced private 5G campus network.

Rijeka Gateway, which operates facilities at Croatia's largest port in Rijeka, is a joint venture between APM Terminals and ENNA Group. This development is entirely new, without any legacy LTE network infrastructure, which the company highlights as a key advantage, making it the first HT installation to use SA architecture.

Set to commence operations in 2025, Rijeka Gateway will utilize HT's public mobile network to support its primarily remotely operated electric equipment. The terminal emphasizes that its use of electric container handling equipment will significantly minimize environmental impact, reducing noise and pollution for the surrounding community.

The Croatian operator Hrvatski Telekom has already started shutting down their 3G network. Complete switch-off by end of Jan 2025https://t.co/I02prt7vL6https://t.co/nPdwOF8eOm

2G will continue to work as normal#2G #3G #3G4G5G #2G3Gshutdown pic.twitter.com/R7R2nkAbJe

— Zahid Ghadialy (@zahidtg) October 6, 2024

HT has already started shutting down their 3G network and plan to have their 3G completely switched-off by end of Jan. 2025. Their 2G network will still be around for a while.

A1 Croatia (formerly known as Vipnet) is the second-largest mobile operator in the country. A1 is part of A1 Telekom Austria Group, which operates in several European countries. A1 Croatia has positioned itself as a strong competitor to HT, especially in terms of pricing and customer service.

Telemach is the third provider in Croatia. It was called Tele2 before it was sold to a local cable operator. They started 4G/LTE in 2016 already covering 90% and opened it to all prepaid plans. In cities coverage is similar to HT and A1. In rural areas (highways outside cities and unpopulated areas) Telemach roams on Hrvatski Telekom without surcharges. After its acquisition by United Group in 2020, Telemach has been expanding its services and network to compete more aggressively with HT and A1.

The Croatian government and telecom operators have been working together to modernize the country’s mobile infrastructure, especially with the 5G rollout. Both HT and A1 have launched 5G networks, covering major cities such as Zagreb, Split, and Rijeka. Telemach has been somewhat slower in rolling out 5G but is catching up through significant infrastructure investments.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: Croatia is Switching-On 5G 

The Bahamas Consults on 5G

The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is an island state that consists of more than 700 islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It's located north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic); northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands; southeast of the US state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys.

Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 358.9 thousand cellular mobile connections in The Bahamas at the start of 2024.

However, note that many people around the world make use of more than one mobile connection – for example, they might have one connection for personal use, and another one for work – so it’s not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed figures for total population.

GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in The Bahamas were equivalent to 86.7 percent of the total population in January 2024.

The number of mobile connections in The Bahamas decreased by 5,154 (-1.4 percent) between the start of 2023 and the start of 2024.

In the Bahamas, two major mobile operators dominate the market: BTC for Bahamas Telecommunications Company which was the only provider until 2016 and Aliv by NewCo which changed the mobile landscape when it started in 2016. 

BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company): The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) is the oldest and largest telecom operator in the country. Originally a government-owned entity, BTC was privatized in 2011, with the British telecom company Cable & Wireless Communications acquiring a significant stake. BTC has long been a key player in the nation's mobile and internet services, offering 4G LTE networks to residents and tourists across the islands.

2G/EDGE is on 850 MHz and 1900 MHz, 3G up to HSPA+ on 850 MHz. 4G/LTE started in 2014 on 700 MHz (band 17). In 2017 it claims to cover 99% of the Bahamas by 4G/LTE at good speeds.

Aliv launched in 2016, is the second-largest mobile operator in the Bahamas. It was introduced to foster competition and offer more choices to consumers. Aliv has rapidly gained a strong foothold in the Bahamian telecom sector, offering LTE services and emphasizing innovative mobile plans and customer service. They built up a 3G/HSPA network on 850 MHz and 1900 MHz and 4G/LTE on 700 MHz (band 13), no 2G/GSM. Voice over LTE services are available.

The Bahamas has yet to roll out a full-fledged 5G network, however, there have been steps toward its development. BTC has been actively preparing its network infrastructure to accommodate 5G technology. The company has hinted at upcoming trials and investments aimed at future-proofing its network. BTC’s current focus seems to be on upgrading its 4G LTE services while laying the groundwork for a 5G rollout in the coming years.

Aliv, the more recent competitor in the telecom space, has expressed its interest in bringing 5G to the Bahamas. The company has already made investments in advanced network infrastructure to ensure it can compete effectively in a 5G future. Aliv is also positioning itself as a forward-thinking telecom company, aiming to deliver faster speeds and better connectivity as 5G becomes a reality.

While 5G holds great promise, there are several challenges to its development in the Bahamas. Rolling out 5G is a costly endeavour, particularly in a country like the Bahamas, where many of the islands are sparsely populated and geographically spread out. The infrastructure required for 5G, including new cell towers and fiber optic networks, presents a major financial undertaking.

For 5G to be implemented, regulatory bodies need to allocate spectrum bands and ensure the technology aligns with public safety standards. The Bahamas’ Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) will play a critical role in the approval process and ensuring fair competition among telecom operators.  

The Bahamas is at an exciting crossroads in its telecommunications journey. With two major players—BTC and Aliv—competing to offer the best services, the push toward 5G is inevitable. While challenges remain, the introduction of 5G technology in the Bahamas holds the potential to elevate the nation's digital infrastructure, offering benefits for both residents and the millions of tourists who visit each year.

A Billion for China and China Mobile

As of September 2023 (last year), China had an estimated 750 million active 5G subscriptions. The share of the four operators, all of which have the Chinese government as a majority shareholder, is as shown in the picture above.

China Mobile, the world’s largest operator in terms of subscribers, surpassed the 1 billion subscriber mark at the end of July, according to the carrier’s latest available data. In the 5G segment, the Chinese carrier ended July with 527.9 million network customers, with a net addition of 13.7 million during the month. It ended the first half of the year with a total of 2.3 million 5G base stations, after adding 351,000 base stations in the period.

5G subscriptions explain an unproportionally low share of mobile data traffic - except for South Korea, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and China https://t.co/dJO6QUwOAx pic.twitter.com/8qelUhaplF

— Tefficient 🚥 (@tefficient) July 8, 2024

According to their latest monthly subscriber stats, China’s ‘big three’ telcos – China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom – between them chalked up more than 20 million 5G net adds in July alone.

China Mobile is the country’s 5G growth engine, notching an additional 13.7 million subs during July. It took the operator’s 5G customer base to just under 528 million, which accounts for more than half of its total mobile subscriptions of just over 1 billion: China Mobile snagged its one billionth mobile subscriber in June.

China Telecom and China Unicom report the number of ‘5G packages’ rather than active 5G subscribers (which is the statistic that China Mobile now reports). This skews upwards China’s 5G number since those signed up to a 5G package (data bundle) can’t necessarily access 5G services, either due to insufficient network coverage or the lack of a suitable smartphone.

Putting that quibble to one side, China Telecom and China Unicom reported 5G package gains of 3.1 million and 2.9 million subscribers respectively during July. At the end of the month, China Telecom had nearly 340 million on 5G packages, accounting for 81% of its total mobile subscriber base. China Unicom had 279 million 5G package subscribers at that time, which, like China Telecom, represents around 81% of all its mobile subscriptions.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: World's Largest Mobile Networks by Data Traffic - Q1 2024
• Operator Watch Blog: China Mobile Talks About Orchestration and Automation
• Operator Watch Blog: China Mobile on The Next Phase of 5G: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities
• Free 6G Training: Summary of 6G Activities from China
• Free 6G Training: China Mobile's view of how to define a 6G Network
• Free 6G Training: China Mobile on the 5G/6G Connectivity Transformation for Sustainability