Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent trend of mobile operators in China replacing the operator name in the signal bar with promotional messages, which has raised concerns among users about privacy and the integrity of mobile services [1][5][13]. Group 1: Advertising in Signal Bars - Mobile operators have begun to modify the signal bar to display promotional messages related to local events, which users cannot turn off manually [1][5]. - This change is attributed to operators altering the global mobile communication standards, allowing them to push advertisements through the NITZ protocol instead of displaying the operator name from the SIM card [6][10]. - The new practice has been linked to the operators' need to find additional revenue streams amid declining average revenue per user (ARPU) in a saturated market [17][18]. Group 2: Regulatory and Compliance Issues - The modification of the signal bar for advertising purposes violates the 3GPP standards, which prioritize displaying the SIM card information over NITZ messages [10][13]. - Legal experts have indicated that this practice may infringe upon telecommunications regulations, as it constitutes forced advertising without user consent [13][19]. - There is a call for regulatory bodies to enhance compliance checks on operators to prevent such practices from becoming widespread [19][20]. Group 3: User Experience and Industry Response - Users have expressed dissatisfaction with the intrusive nature of these advertisements, which detract from the intended functionality of the signal bar [19]. - The article suggests that operators should focus on improving service quality and user experience rather than resorting to aggressive advertising tactics [18][20]. - There is a potential for operators to utilize the signal bar for practical notifications, such as data usage alerts, rather than commercial promotions [19].