Driven by the robust growth in the mobile data services segment, the total mobile service revenue in China is poised to increase from US$131.8bn in 2021 to US$173bn in 2026, at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6%, said a study.
According to GlobalData’s China Mobile Broadband Forecast, the growth in mobile data service revenues will offset the decline in mobile voice service revenues during the forecast period.
While mobile voice service revenue will decline at a CAGR of 5.5% between 2021 and 2026, mobile data revenue will increase at a CAGR of 10% over the same period, primarily driven by the increasing adoption of 5G services, the report said.
The average monthly mobile data usage in China is expected to increase from 10.4 GB in 2021 to 30.2 GB in 2026, driven by the growing consumption of online video and social media content over smartphones, primarily due to the widespread availability of 4G services and increase in 5G services availability.
Srikanth Vaidya, the Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, said: “5G will become the leading mobile technology in 2022, by surpassing 4G subscriptions. 5G subscriptions are estimated to account for a majority 75.3% share of the total mobile subscriptions in 2026, driven by the ongoing 5G network expansion by operators and proliferation of 5G-enabled smartphones."
He added: “China Mobile will retain its leading position through 2026, supported by its ongoing 5G service expansion to cater to the rising demand for high-speed services by residential and enterprise segments. The company aims to achieve continuous 5G coverage in rural towns across the country by end of 2022, for which it has already built more than 560,000 5G base stations.”
China Mobile led the mobile services market in China in 2021, followed by China Telecom, finds GlobalData.
