Overview of China Unicom
China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd. was established on 19 July 1994 by the former Ministry of Electronics, Ministry of Electric Power, Ministry of Railways, and other parties. It was the company that brought a second public operator into China's telecom market. In 2024 it reported 1.137 billion Big Connectivity users, 290 million 5G package users, 625 million IoT connections, 76 million connected-vehicle connections, and revenue of CNY 389.6 billion. The 2017 mixed-ownership reform brought in Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba as strategic investors.
Development History and Milestones
1994-2000: China Unicom was founded in July 1994 with initial registered capital of CNY 1.34 billion. In 1995 it built China's second public GSM network, and handset prices fell from CNY 28,000 to CNY 4,000–5,000.
2001-2008: It kept expanding mobile and fixed-line service. In October 2008 it merged with China Netcom and became China United Network Communications Group Co., Ltd.
2009-2016: It received a WCDMA 3G licence, built an LTE FDD 4G network, and started IoT work early.
2017-present: In August 2017 it published the mixed-ownership plan and raised about CNY 61.7 billion for 4G and 5G. It brought in Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, set out the Five New strategy, and put the Yanfei Gewu platform in front of hundreds of millions of devices. IoT connections passed 600 million in 2024.
Basic information of China Unicom (2024)
- Established: July 19, 1994
- Headquarters: Beijing
- Mixed-Ownership Reform: Introduced Tencent, Baidu, Alibaba, etc. in 2017
- Big Connectivity users: 1.137 billion (net increase of 149 million)
- 5G package users: 290 million (net increase of 30.8 million)
- IoT connections: 625 million (net increase of 130 million)
- Connected-vehicle connections: 76 million
- Revenue: CNY 389.6 billion (up 4.6% year on year)
- Network: 2G/3G/4G/5G/NB-IoT full standards
IoT layout and mixed-ownership reform innovation
China Unicom uses the mixed-ownership structure to build cloud-and-network IoT services. Yanfei Gewu is cloud-native, is stated to support on the order of 100 million devices, and is tied into Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud. The company is putting more into NB-IoT and 4G while also deploying 5G, edge computing, and AI. Its WCDMA and LTE FDD networks are the base for 5G IoT, and it takes part in international standards work.
Mixed-ownership reform innovation and ecological cooperation
Innovative cooperation models
- Strategic Investment Cooperation: Deep cooperation with internet companies such as Tencent, Baidu, and Alibaba
- Industry Alliance: Led the establishment of the 5G Application Innovation Alliance, aggregating industry strength
- Open Platform: Construct an open IoT ecosystem, supporting third-party innovation
- Joint Innovation: Jointly develop innovative products with device manufacturers and solution providers
- Capital Operation: Integrate high-quality IoT assets through investment and mergers
- International Cooperation: Establish cooperative relationships with global operators and device manufacturers
Yanfei Gewu platform
Yanfei Gewu is China Unicom's IoT connection-management platform. It uses a cloud-native design, is stated to support hundreds of millions of devices, and includes live monitoring, diagnostics, and flexible billing. Links with Tencent Cloud and Alibaba Cloud extend the service from the mobile connection into those clouds.
Full Network Integration
Brings 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and NB-IoT onto one access point
Cloud-Network Collaboration
Deep integration with Unicom cloud resources, providing cloud-network integrated services
Intelligent Operation
AI-driven intelligent operation, automated fault handling, and performance optimization
Open Ecosystem
Open API interfaces, supporting third-party application and service integration
5G IoT Innovative Applications
China Unicom actively promotes the application innovation of 5G technology in the Internet of Things field, with a focus on high-value scenarios such as industrial internet, smart cities, and vehicle networking. The company has built multiple 5G IoT demonstration bases and jointly developed a series of 5G IoT solutions with partners. In the industrial manufacturing field, Unicom's 5G private network provides enterprises with highly reliable, low-latency network services; in the smart city field, 5G plus edge computing technology has enabled intelligent upgrades in urban management; in the vehicle networking field, the 5G network provides technical support for autonomous driving and intelligent transportation.
Network Technology Features
Full Standard Coverage
Supports 2G/3G/4G/5G/NB-IoT full standard networks, meeting different business needs
Cloud-Network Integration
Deep integration of cloud computing and network resources, providing integrated service capabilities
Open Cooperation
Building an open IoT ecosystem and deeply cooperating with industry partners
Innovation Driven
Continue technological innovation and actively deploy in 5G, edge computing and other fields
Technical standard capability
| Network standards | Coverage Situation | Technical advantages | Main applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2G GSM | Nationwide coverage | Wide coverage, low cost | Intelligent meter reading, location tracking |
| 3G WCDMA | Key city coverage | Emphasis on voice data | In-vehicle terminals, security monitoring |
| 4G LTE | Nationwide deep coverage | High-speed data transmission | Video surveillance, mobile office |
| NB-IoT | Coverage of key areas | Low-power wide connectivity | Smart cities, environmental monitoring |
| 5G | Key city construction | Low latency, high reliability | Industrial Internet, Internet of Vehicles |
Core Product System
Connectivity Services
IoT SIM Cards Products
- Industrial-grade SIM Cards, Consumer-grade SIM Cards
- eSIM Products, Multi-SIM Cards
- APN Private Network, VPDN Private Network
- Dedicated Line Services, Hybrid Network
Yanfei IoT Platform
- Connection Management, Device Management
- Data Services, Application Enablement
- Internet of Vehicles, Smart City Platform
- Industrial Internet, Energy Management
Pricing
Basic Connection Data Plan
Lightweight Data Plan: 1MB/month, 6 RMB, Simple Monitoring
Standard data plan: 10MB/month, 20 yuan, data collection
Enhanced data plan: 50MB/month, 80 yuan, video applications
Innovative billing models
Tiered billing: the more you use, the lower the unit price
Shared data pool: multiple cards sharing, flexible allocation
Pay-as-you-go: pay for what you use, no waste
Bundled discount: platform + connectivity integrated discount
Industry Solutions
Smart city
- Smart street lights, smart parking
- Environmental monitoring, smart manhole covers
- Improve urban management efficiency by over 30%
Industrial Internet
- Device networking, data collection
- Predictive maintenance, quality traceability
- Increase production efficiency by 20%+
Connected Vehicles
- In-vehicle information services, fleet management
- Vehicle diagnostics, UBI insurance
- Service vehicles over 5 million units
Smart Agriculture
- Precision planting, livestock farming
- Agricultural machinery management, supply chain traceability
- Increase farmers' income by 15%+
Partner ecosystem
Technology partners
- Chip manufacturers: Huawei HiSilicon, Qualcomm, MediaTek, UNISOC
- Module Manufacturers: Quectel, Fibocom, Neoway Technology
- Terminal Manufacturers: Hundreds of IoT terminal device manufacturers
- Platform Providers: Strategic cooperation with Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud, Huawei Cloud
Industry Partners
- System Integrators: Leading SI manufacturers, industry solutions
- Software Developer: ISV Vertical Industry Applications
- Channel Partner: Nationwide Agent Network Coverage
Technical Innovation Highlights
Core Technology Directions
- 5G + Edge Computing: Ultra-low latency, industrial control, autonomous driving, AR/VR
- AI + Internet of Things: Intelligent prediction, anomaly detection, cloud-edge-device AI collaboration
- Blockchain + Internet of Things: Supply chain traceability, data ownership confirmation, device authentication
Service Support System
Technical Support
- 7×24 hour technical hotline service
- Professional technical team on-site support
- Online technical documentation and community
- Regular technical training and certification
Business support
- Dedicated account manager service
- Flexible business policies
- Rapid response mechanism
- Customized solutions
Operational support
- Network operation monitoring
- Quality of Service Assurance
- Rapid fault handling
- Continuous performance optimization
Development Strategic Goals
Short-term Goals (2024-2025)
IoT connections exceeding 300 million, 5G coverage in all prefecture-level cities, industry solutions covering 50+ fields, more than 10,000 ecosystem partners
Mid-term Goals (2025-2027)
Become the number one operator in terms of IoT connection scale, build an integrated cloud-network service system, and form core competitiveness in vertical industries
Long-term Vision (2030)
Build a globally leading digital service provider, establish an intelligent connectivity ecosystem for all things, and contribute core strengths to the development of the digital economy
Summary of Competitive Advantages
- Network Advantages: Full-standard network coverage, active promotion of 5G construction
- Innovation Advantages: Mixed-ownership reform system stimulates innovation vitality, large investment in technology R&D
- Ecosystem Advantages: Open cooperation concept, building a rich partner ecosystem
- Service Advantages: Integrated cloud and network service capabilities, end-to-end solutions
- Brand Advantages: International brand influence, high trust from government and corporate clients