China’s telecom giants face mounting pressure as China Mobile and China Telecom report falling Q3 profits amid weak spending and new taxes. Despite growth in cloud, AI, and 5G, core mobile, broadband, and VoIP telecom revenues remain strained, highlighting challenges for operators pursuing digital transformation in a slowing market economy.
China’s 6G push could reshape VoIP, cloud communications, and satellite-enabled connectivity by 2030. With 6GHz spectrum, 10 Gbit/s trials, edge computing, and 3GPP NTN prototypes, telecom operators are building networks that may deliver lower latency, wider coverage, and smarter bandwidth for next-generation voice, video, and enterprise communications services across markets.
China Mobile’s MWC Shanghai 2026 vision signals a major shift from connectivity to AI-powered telecom infrastructure. By combining 5G, 6G research, cloud computing, VoIP services, intelligent networks, and enterprise platforms, the operator aims to redefine mobile communication, boost digital services, and unlock new value for partners across China’s fast-growing economy.
China Mobile is navigating a challenging telecom landscape with increased competition and waning demand. Despite a slight revenue uptick, profit fell 4.2% year-on-year. Strategic pivots, like expanding 5G and AI services, aim to counter declining core business revenue. Massive competition from tech giants and increased taxes further compound the hurdles.
The International Telecommunication Union’s 51st WP 5D meeting was pivotal for 6G, as Minimum Technical Performance Requirements for IMT-2030 were finalized, transitioning 6G from vision to reality. With ZTE driving advanced 6G strategy, the company targets a seamless shift to the agent-centric internet era, prioritizing connectivity and AI integration.
China Mobile, the largest mobile carrier globally, is set for significant 5G infrastructure expansion in 2025, aiming for 2.8 million base stations. With a surging 5G subscriber base, making up 55% of users, and rising financial performance, this move positions China Mobile as a leader in the mobile network industry.
ZTE Corporation, alongside China Mobile, launched innovative AI-driven 5G-A solutions at MWC 2025. These advancements in 5G-A technology, including ‘Communication-Sensing-Computing-Intelligence’ and ‘Ambient IoT,’ promise groundbreaking transformations in industrial applications.
China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile network operator, has surpassed 1 billion subscribers, adding 559,000 new users in July alone. Notably, it also saw a net addition of 13.7 million 5G customers, bringing its total to nearly 528 million. Such growth underscores China Mobile’s strategic push in the VoIP and 5G sectors.
China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator, now boasts over 500 million 5G users, according to its latest report. By the end of May, the telecom giant had 502.6 million active 5G network users, reflecting the growing adoption of this next-generation technology. This figure marks a significant milestone, as it represents actual 5G usage rather than just subscriptions to 5G plans.
In a pioneering initiative, passengers traveling on a high-speed rail route in Southern China are now enjoying faster and more reliable 5G connectivity, thanks to the innovative use of digital twin technology. ZTE and China Mobile’s Yunnan Branch have collaboratively developed a detailed 3D model of the railway’s surrounding infrastructure, significantly enhancing network performance along the challenging terrain of the KunchuDali railway.
