Zhong Guo Jing Ying Bao·2025-05-02 20:12Core Insights - The three major telecom operators in China reported distinct financial results for Q1 2025, with China Mobile leading in revenue and profit, while China Telecom excelled in 5G user penetration [1][2][3] - The overall revenue growth for the telecom industry is slowing, with the operators entering a "stable" phase, focusing on high-quality development and profitability [2][3] Financial Performance - China Mobile reported revenue of 263.8 billion yuan and net profit of 30.6 billion yuan, nearly 1.3 times the combined revenue of China Telecom and China Unicom [1] - China Telecom's revenue reached 134.5 billion yuan with a net profit of 8.9 billion yuan, while China Unicom surpassed 100 billion yuan in revenue for the first time, achieving 103.35 billion yuan and a net profit of 2.61 billion yuan [1] - Revenue growth rates for Q1 2025 were 0.02% for China Mobile, 0.01% for China Telecom, and 3.88% for China Unicom, significantly down from 10.3%, 9.4%, and 9.2% in the same period of 2023 [3] User Metrics - China Mobile's total mobile users exceeded 1 billion, with 5G users reaching 578 million, accounting for 54% of the industry total [2] - China Telecom's 5G user penetration rate is 62%, while China Unicom's is below 50% [2] - In the fixed broadband market, China Mobile leads with 320 million users, followed by China Telecom with 173 million and China Unicom with 124 million [2] Profitability and Cost Management - Despite slowing revenue growth, net profits for the three operators showed slight increases: China Mobile up 3.45%, China Telecom up 3.1%, and China Unicom up 6.5% [4] - Operators are maintaining profitability through reduced capital expenditures and optimized cost structures, with total capital expenditures for 2025 projected at 289.8 billion yuan, down 9.1% year-on-year [4] Emerging Business Focus - The operators are shifting resources towards emerging fields such as computing power networks and AI to create a "second growth curve" [7][8] - China Telecom's computing power investment grew by 22%, with IDC revenue at 9.5 billion yuan and smart income surging by 151.6% [7] - China Unicom's cloud revenue reached 19.72 billion yuan, a 114% increase, while China Mobile plans to invest 37.3 billion yuan in computing power, representing 25% of its total capital expenditure for 2025 [7][8] Market Challenges - The telecom industry faces structural challenges in computing power demand, with a surplus in general computing power and a shortage in intelligent computing power [10] - The operators are also under pressure from competition with internet giants like Tencent and Alibaba, which are encroaching on the enterprise market [10][11] - The operators are attempting to build differentiated competitive advantages, but achieving significant revenue growth remains a challenge [11]