China Mobile soars past the 600 million subscriber mark, refuses to slow down
Just last April, we heard that China Mobile had acquired more subscribers than the entire population of the United States of America. 15 months later, it has doubled up on that figure. Yep, China Mobile has just broken the 600 million subscriber mark as the country as a whole added 53.5 million new wireless users from January to June. Consequently, fixed-line customers fell by 9.3 million to 356 million during the same window of time. So, what's the over / under on months before the carrier breaks the big 1 billion?[Via IntoMobile]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
david @ Jul 31st 2008 8:07PM
lol...take that, verizon!
maball54 @ Jul 31st 2008 8:12PM
Around 18 months, i think
Cassini @ Jul 31st 2008 9:09PM
Good grief !!! 600 MILLION and growing???
How could a wireless network even support that many users? And more important than that is, how could they even provide even the slightest bit of customer service for that many people?
You think AT&T's CS is crap (which apparently it is), but with this many subscribers, it really makes you wonder about the condition of China Mobile's CS. Crazy. You'd think they'd have to have 20% of China working for them to pull it off.
Anti-Fanboy @ Jul 31st 2008 11:03PM
They outsource tech support to America.
/irony
Jamar @ Aug 1st 2008 11:47AM
Better than any American provider's. Their roaming to the US is pretty cheap too- cheap enough that I'd rather roam than get a prepaid card in the States (again, customer service people that I can actually understand doesn't hurt either).
Jamar @ Aug 1st 2008 11:48AM
(avoiding double-post)
Robert @ Aug 26th 2008 7:29PM
First they don't have to collect!!!
You purchase a 100RMB card at any 24/7 store located on every street in China and load up your phone minutes. When empty your phone shuts off. Texting is as unlimited as the local 24/7 store. Need a phone....the new ones are higher in RMB then in the US and you buy them at a cellular store. Need a plan. You take a taxi to China Mobile which is as big as the "Bird's Nest" and wait in line till your number is called....and don't forget to fill out the all the paperwork while you're waiting.
Complaints: Non. You pay your phone works. You don't pay...why you complaining. Problem with the phone...see the guy that sold it to you and good luck with warranty work. Probably easier to buy another phone.
Jkuhn @ Aug 1st 2008 12:06AM
Remember its China though lol, i doubt they have much in the way of customer service.
LowTeckh @ Aug 1st 2008 4:09AM
Can't beat American ignorance.
SOCOMRAIDER @ Aug 1st 2008 12:45AM
There would be many more subscribers, but phones are like children, you may only have one.
Jamar @ Aug 1st 2008 11:50AM
I know you're joking, but the only people I know in China with only one phone are my "foreign" classmates. Most strangers I see carry more than one phone. That or at least mroe than one SIM card- those are like candy over here in China.
tom @ Aug 1st 2008 2:59AM
Its not China Mobile the company that has 600 million customers, its China has 600 million mobile customers. Not all of them are on China Mobile the company but they are still the worlds largest with over 380 million customers.
lvkevin @ Aug 1st 2008 2:28PM
does the writer know:
China's mobile users ≠ China Mobile's users