Zhang Jun of Sina Technology

The three major operators have recently released their operating data for December 2020. Among the most watched 5G users, China Mobile Limited reached 165 million and China Telecom Corporation reached 86.5 million, with a cumulative total of more than 250 million. China Unicom still hasn't announced his 5G users.

From the perspective of mobile users, 4G users, 5G users, broadband users and other indicators, China Mobile Limited continues to maintain a dominant position among the three major operators. The grim situation is China Unicom, who lost more than 10 million mobile users in 2020 and has a growing gap with China Mobile Limited and China Telecom Corporation in broadband services.

More than 250 million 5G users

Since the 5G package was officially put into commercial use on October 31, 2019, the three major operators have started a battle for 5G users. Have come up with a series of measures such as telemarketing, gift flow, package promotion and so on.

By December 2020, the number of users of China Mobile Limited's 5G package had exceeded 165 million, adding 17.621 million users in the same month and 162.5 million for the whole of 2020. This growth rate also exceeded the target set by China Mobile Limited in his early days.

China Telecom Corporation, as of December 2020, the number of 5G package users reached 86.5 million, an increase of 7.02 million in the same month and 81.89 million for the whole of 2020. In order to focus on the growth of 5G users, China Telecom Corporation has no longer announced the number of 4G users.

China Unicom, on the other hand, has always maintained the style of not publishing the number of 5G users. China Unicom's relevant executives did not communicate the specific development goals related to 5G users throughout 2020.

On the whole, the total number of 5G users of China Mobile Limited and China Telecom Corporation in 2020 has exceeded 250 million, and the development speed has exceeded expectations. Among them, China Mobile Limited's 5G user penetration rate is 17.5%, China Telecom Corporation's 5G user penetration rate is 24.6%, that is, China Mobile Limited takes the lead in the absolute number of 5G users, while China Telecom Corporation takes the lead in 5G user penetration.

As for China Unicom, the main theme in 2020 is to improve profitability, so the pace on 5G users is a little slower. At the 2020 interim results conference, China Unicom Chairman Wang Xiaochu said that in the face of the new challenges of industry development, the company has taken the initiative to adjust its mobile business development strategy since the second half of 2019. From focusing on the number of user growth, to focusing on the quality and value of user development. We will strengthen Internet and differentiated innovative management, gradually strengthen the development of 5G public users with rhythm and pertinence, and promote the enhancement of value.

From the perspective of financial data, China Unicom's strategy has also been reflected. In the first three quarters of 2020, China Unicom's operating income was 225.355 billion yuan, an increase of 3.8 percent over the same period last year, and net profit was 10.824 billion yuan, an increase of 10.2 percent over the same period last year.

For the next development of 5G, the three major operators need to further improve the coverage of 5G network and enrich the landing of 5G applications. In terms of network construction, 2021 will be in the period of large-scale deployment. China Unicom proposed to achieve 5G coverage of key townships above the county seat, while China Mobile Limited said that 5G network coverage would be achieved in 2021 in counties, cities and some key townships across the country.

China Mobile Unicom is grim.

In addition to 5G subscribers, the three major operators are also divided in a number of other user indicators.

In terms of mobile users, China Mobile Limited lost 1.792 million users in December 2020 and 8.359 million users in the whole year. China Unicom lost 305.8 million mobile users in December 2020, 1.283 million users in that month and 12.664 million users in the whole year. China Telecom Corporation, on the other hand, maintained positive growth in the number of mobile users in that month and the whole year, adding 190000 in the same month, 15.45 million in the whole year, and reaching 351 million users in 2020.

In terms of the number of mobile users, China Telecom Corporation became the only winner among the three major operators, while China Unicom lost the most users. This is also related to the number transfer network to a certain extent. In November 2019, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology held the launching ceremony of the number transfer network, and the number transfer network officially provided services throughout the country. And China Telecom Corporation has undoubtedly become the beneficiary of transferring the network with the number.

In terms of the number of 4G users, China Mobile Limited increased by 1.701 million in December 2020 and 17.292 million in the whole year, bringing the total to 775 million; China Unicom increased by 1.123 million in December 2020 and 16.415 million in the whole year, bringing the total to 270 million. China Telecom Corporation no longer publishes the number of 4G users.

In terms of the number of broadband users, China Mobile Limited increased by 1.108 million in December 2020 and 23.28 million in the whole year; China Unicom's total number of broadband users was 86.095 million, losing 338000 users in the same month and 2.617 million for the whole year; China Telecom Corporation's total number of broadband users was 158.5 million, an increase of 370 million in the same month and 5.4 million in the whole year.

On the whole, China Mobile Limited maintains a dominant advantage in many data, such as the number of mobile users, 5G users, and broadband users; China Telecom Corporation maintains positive growth in multiple data, and is the only operator that keeps growing; and China Unicom has lagged behind China Mobile Limited and China Telecom Corporation in many data because of her development strategy.

For China Unicom, it will not be easy to strike a good balance between user growth and profitability in the future.