According to a July 23 announcement from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)， China’s telecommunications business revenue reached a cumulative total of 905.5 billion yuan in the first half of 2025， marking a 1% year-on-year increase. Calculated at constant prices from the previous year， the total volume of telecommunications business saw a year-on-year growth of 9.3%.
This translates to an average daily revenue exceeding 5 billion yuan if the first half of the year is considered to have 181 days. This significant revenue underscores the continued expansion and essential role of the telecommunications sector in China’s economy.
The MIIT also reported a steady increase in mobile phone users during the first half of the year， with rapid development in 5G user adoption. As of the end of June， the total number of mobile phone users across the three major basic telecommunications enterprises and China Broadcasting Network reached 1.81 billion， an increase of 19.93 million users from the end of the previous year. This growth indicates a sustained demand for mobile communication services and a healthy expansion of the user base.
Furthermore， 5G mobile phone users reached 1.118 billion by the end of June， with a net increase of 104 million users from the end of the previous year. This represents 61.8% of the total mobile phone users， highlighting the accelerated adoption and preferential choice for 5G technology among consumers. The widespread uptake of 5G is a key indicator of China’s commitment to advanced telecommunications infrastructure.
In the first half of the year， the cumulative traffic of mobile internet reached 186.7 billion GB， with the average user consumption at 20.75 GB per month， a year-on-year increase of 16.4%. This substantial growth in data consumption reflects the increasing reliance on mobile internet for various activities， from streaming to remote work. As of the end of June， the total number of 5G base stations reached 4.549 million， a net increase of 298，000 from the end of the previous year. 5G base stations now account for 35.7% of all mobile base stations， with their proportion increasing by 1.3 percentage points compared to the first quarter. This continuous expansion of 5G infrastructure is crucial for supporting the growing demand for data and enabling new digital services.
It is important to note that emerging businesses such as cloud computing and big data are experiencing rapid revenue growth and are becoming new growth points for operators. The telecommunications industry is actively diversifying its revenue streams beyond traditional voice and data services， capitalizing on the growth of these high-potential digital sectors.
When comparing with historical data， the average daily net profit of the three major operators is approximately 590 million yuan. Relative to the overall daily revenue of over 5 billion yuan， the profit margin is not particularly high， suggesting that profitability， in absolute terms， might not be as substantial as the revenue suggests. This could be attributed to the significant investment in 5G construction and the resulting cost pressures. The industry’s investment focus is clearly shifting towards new areas like computing power and AI， indicating a definite trend towards transformation. This strategic pivot is essential for future competitiveness and for meeting the evolving demands of the digital economy.
