三大运营商定调2026：继续战略收缩 聚焦AI转型

Core Insights - The three major telecom operators in China are shifting their strategies towards "strategic contraction and focused transformation," moving away from a "large and comprehensive" approach to concentrate resources on core business areas such as computing power, AI applications, and enterprise markets [1][4] Financial Performance - In 2024, the total revenue of the three operators approached 2 trillion yuan, with a year-on-year growth rate slowing to approximately 3%, a significant decline compared to previous years. The combined net profit was about 192 billion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year increase of approximately 6.1%. The combined EBITDA was around 574 billion yuan, showing a slight decline of about 0.7%, indicating a fatigue in profitability [2] Strategic Focus - China Telecom is upgrading its strategy from "cloud transformation" to "intelligent and beneficial cloud transformation," emphasizing AI empowerment and security in enterprise construction. In 2024, the revenue from digitalization in its industry is expected to increase, with a 22% year-on-year growth in capital expenditure for computing power [3] - China Unicom is focusing on four core areas: connectivity, computing power, services, and security, moving away from a comprehensive coverage model. Its investment in computing power is expected to rise by 19% in 2024, with plans to build a multi-layered computing supply system [3] - China Mobile aims to strengthen its three main businesses: communication services, computing services, and intelligent services, with a focus on technology leadership and scale synergy. The planned investment in computing power for 2025 is 37.3 billion yuan, maintaining the same level as 2024 but increasing its share in capital expenditure to 25% [4] Embracing AI - All three operators are sending a clear signal of "fully embracing AI." China Unicom is focusing on the synergy between AI and its core areas, while China Telecom is integrating AI throughout its operations. China Mobile is also prioritizing intelligent services and plans to develop 15 million AI terminals by 2026 [5][6] Capital Expenditure Trends - The capital expenditure of the three operators is showing a trend of "overall contraction with localized increases," with a total planned capital expenditure for 2025 reduced by 9.1% to 289.8 billion yuan. The focus is shifting towards "intelligent computing centers" and "massive card clusters" [7]