Overview of China Mobile
China Mobile Communications Group Co., Ltd. is the world's largest mobile operator, established on April 20, 2000, with its headquarters in Beijing. In 2024, mobile subscribers exceeded 1.004 billion, 5G network subscribers reached 552 million (penetration rate 55%), with a total of 3.67 billion connections, annual revenue of 1,040.8 billion yuan, and net profit of 138.4 billion yuan. China Mobile has the widest 4G/5G network coverage in the country, with over 5 million base stations, and has built the world's largest NB-IoT network.
Development History and Milestones
1987-1999: In November 1987, Guangdong opened the first analogue mobile network in mainland China. Zhejiang opened the first digital mobile network in 1993. In 1995 the 139 number range and the GoTone GSM brand were introduced. In 1997 China Telecom (Hong Kong) listed in Hong Kong and New York.
2000-2004: On April 20, 2000, China Mobile Group was officially established with a registered capital of 300 billion yuan; listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 2001; in 2004, it completed the acquisition of mobile operations in all provinces, achieving overall listing.
2005-2016: In 2008, China Tietong merged; in 2009, obtained the TD-SCDMA 3G license; in 2013, obtained the TD-LTE 4G license and was the first to launch 4G phones.
2017-present: In 2017, completed the corporatization reform; in 2019, commercially launched 5G; in 2024, mobile customers exceeded 1 billion, IoT connections reached 3.67 billion, and over 200 million devices were connected to the OneNET platform.
China Mobile Basic Information (2024)
- Establishment: April 20, 2000
- Headquarters: Beijing
- Listed: Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York
- Mobile Customers: 1.004 billion (net increase of 13.32 million)
- 5G Users: 552 million (penetration rate 55%)
- Fixed Broadband: 315 million
- Total Connections: 3.67 billion (net increase of 316 million)
- Annual Revenue: 1,040.8 billion yuan (year-on-year increase of 3.1%)
- Net Profit: 138.4 billion yuan (year-on-year increase of 5.0%)
- 5G Private Network Revenue: 8.7 billion yuan (year-on-year increase of 61%)
IoT position
China Mobile's IoT work goes back to 2009, and it was among the first operators in China to put money into IoT research and commercial service. It sells connectivity, a platform, and applications to more than 10 million customers, in smart cities, manufacturing, logistics, energy, and environmental monitoring. Network slicing and edge computing are how it separates that traffic, from NB-IoT through 5G URLLC.
Technological Innovation and R&D Strength
Core Technical Capabilities
- 5G Network Slicing: Provides customized network services for different industries, ensuring service quality
- Edge Computing: Deploys computing resources at the network edge, reducing latency and improving efficiency
- Artificial Intelligence: AI-driven network optimization and intelligent operation and maintenance capabilities
- Big Data Analysis: Value extraction and insights based on massive connection data
- Blockchain Applications: Innovative applications in scenarios such as device authentication and data ownership verification
- Digital Twin: Building a digital management system that maps the physical and virtual world
OneNET platform
OneNET is an IoT open platform independently developed by China Mobile, providing developers and enterprises with full-stack services such as device access, data storage, device management, and application development. The platform uses a microservice architecture, supports multiple communication protocols, and has strong horizontal scalability. Currently, it has connected more than 200 million devices, with daily API calls exceeding 1 billion.
Multi-Protocol Access
Supports multiple protocols such as MQTT, CoAP, HTTP, and TCP, compatible with various devices
Cloud-Edge Collaboration
Centralized cloud management, edge computing nearby, achieving optimal resource allocation
Rule Engine
Visual rule configuration, supporting complex business logic and data processing
Data Analysis
Real-time data processing and analysis, providing rich visualization capabilities
Network coverage advantages
Nationwide coverage
Has the widest 4G/5G network coverage in the country, with more than 5 million base stations
NB-IoT Network
Built the world's largest NB-IoT network, covering all cities nationwide
5G Leadership
Continuously leading in the number of 5G base stations and coverage, supporting uRLLC and mMTC scenarios
Network Quality
Industry-leading network stability and reliability, supporting critical business applications
IoT Product System
Connectivity Services
IoT SIM Cards
- Standard SIM cards, eSIM cards
- Industrial-grade, consumer-grade specifications
- Full lifecycle management
- Flexible data plan configuration
Private network services
- VPN private network access
- Dedicated APN Configuration
- Network slicing services
- QoS quality assurance
Platform Services
OneNET Platform
- Device Access Management
- Data Storage and Analysis
- Rapid Application Development
- API Open Capabilities
Connection management platform
- SIM Card Lifecycle Management
- Data Usage Monitoring
- Fault diagnosis and analysis
- Billing Management Services
Technical Standard Support
| Technical Standard | Coverage Situation | Use Cases | Development Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2G GSM | Service Discontinued | - | Network Withdrawn |
| 3G TD-SCDMA | Service Discontinued | - | Network Withdrawn |
| 4G TD-LTE | Nationwide coverage | High-speed data transmission | Main Network |
| NB-IoT | Nationwide coverage | Low power consumption with wide coverage | Vigorously develop |
| 5G NR | Key cities | High speed with low latency | Rapid construction |
Package pricing
Pay-As-You-Go
Applicable scenarios: Uncertain usage, testing phase
Billing Method: Charge based on actual data usage
Advantages: Flexible billing, no waste
Annual data plan
Applicable Scenarios: Long-term stable use
Billing method: Annual fee fixed, includes a certain amount of data
Advantages: Cost controllable, favorable price
Data Pool
Applicable scenarios: Large-scale device management
Billing method: Multiple cards shared data pool
Advantages: Unified management, resource allocation
Industry Solutions
Smart city
- Smart Streetlight Management
- Environmental Monitoring System
- Smart Parking Solutions
- Urban Security Monitoring
Industrial Internet
- Remote equipment monitoring
- Production Data Collection
- Predictive Maintenance
- Supply chain management
Smart Agriculture
- Soil Moisture Monitoring
- Intelligent Irrigation System
- Livestock Management
- Agricultural Product Traceability
Connected Vehicles
- In-Vehicle Information Services
- Fleet Management System
- Intelligent Traffic Management
- Autonomous Driving Support
Service Support System
Technical Support
- 7×24 hours technical hotline
- Professional technical team support
- On-site technical service
- Remote fault diagnosis
Business support
- Dedicated Account Manager
- Customized solution design
- Flexible business policies
- Rapid response mechanism
Ecosystem cooperation
- Cooperation with terminal manufacturers
- Cooperation with platform providers
- Cooperation with system integrators
- App Developer Support
Development Strategy
Network Evolution
Continuously optimize 4G networks, accelerate 5G network construction, and promote the commercial use of network slicing
Platform Upgrade
Enhance the capabilities of the OneNET platform to support more device connections and data processing
Ecosystem Development
Build an open IoT ecosystem and develop together with partners
Industry applications
Take vertical uses further and publish reference deployments that other sites can copy
Competitive Advantages
- Network Scale: The world's largest mobile network with extensive coverage
- Technological Leadership: Internationally leading 5G technology and applications
- Platform Capability: OneNET platform is fully functional and convenient for development
- Service System: Comprehensive customer service and technical support
- Ecological Resources: Abundant partners and industry resources