The competitive landscape and future outlook of the three major operators
In 2024, the competitive landscape of China's mobile communications industry is undergoing profound changes. The competition between China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom in the 5G era has entered a white-hot stage. They all have their own advantages and disadvantages, and they all face many problems such as tariffs, network quality, and customer service. Under the new wave of technology, operators need to assess the situation and solve the existing shortcomings to better serve users. At the same time, the competitive landscape in the 5G era is still full of uncertainties, and the game between all parties is fierce. This article will deeply analyze the current situation and problems of the three major operators, interpret their countermeasures, and look forward to the future of the 5G era, so as to provide reference for the development of the industry.
First, let's take a look at the current situation of the three major operators. With its extensive 4G network coverage, China Mobile has always maintained a leading position in terms of the number of subscribers. According to statistics, by the end of 2023, the number of China Mobile's 4G base stations has exceeded 3 million, far exceeding that of China Telecom and China Unicom. This gives China Mobile an advantage in traditional services such as voice calls and SMS. However, in terms of broadband business, China Mobile's performance has not been satisfactory. In contrast, China Telecom's broadband quality and speed are superior. In order to quickly seize market share, China Mobile has adopted a strategy of giving away broadband for free on a large scale, but this practice may affect its long-term profitability.
Although China Telecom has advantages in broadband services, it also faces some challenges. Some netizens reported that the network speed of telecom broadband is not stable enough, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, which affects the user experience. At the same time, the quality of telecom's customer service has also been criticized, and problems such as untimely handling of user complaints and unfriendly attitudes have occurred from time to time. Still, the overall quality of telecom broadband is superior to mobile.
China Unicom is somewhere between mobile and telecom. China Unicom's development in the 4G era is relatively slow, and its market share has declined. But after entering the 5G era, China Unicom seems to have found a new breakthrough. In 2023, China Unicom and China Telecom reached a cooperation agreement to work together on 5G network construction to counter Mobile's dominant position in the market. Whether this model of cooperation will work remains to be seen.
In addition to the changes in the competitive landscape, the three major operators are also facing some issues that are hotly debated by the public. For example, the Huawei Mate60 Pro mobile phone supports the satellite call function, but it needs to open a special telecom package, and the monthly tariff is as high as 200 yuan, which causes netizens to complain. Similar high tariff problems are prevalent among the three major operators. This not only increases the economic burden of users, but also affects the promotion and application of new technologies.
Recently, a telecom fraud incident has aroused widespread concern in the society. Some Internet influencers have been accused of draining traffic for telecom fraud gangs, and they are habitual offenders. This is yet another wake-up call for rampant fraud. In the high-tech era, operators need to upgrade their technology and management to better protect users' rights and interests and maintain network security.
In the face of fierce market competition and public skepticism, the three major operators have taken countermeasures. As mentioned earlier, China Telecom and China Unicom have chosen to cooperate to build a 5G network in order to achieve a breakthrough in infrastructure. However, some analysts believe that with the first-mover advantage and strong strength, China Mobile will still maintain a leading position in the 5G era. China Mobile is at the forefront of 5G base station construction, network coverage, and R&D investment. By the end of 2023, the number of mobile 5G base stations has exceeded 1 million, and the number of 5G users has exceeded 400 million. It is foreseeable that for a long time to come, China Mobile will still be the leader of the domestic communications market.
Of course, this does not mean that China Telecom and China Unicom have no chances. On the contrary, the competition in the 5G era has just begun, and anything is possible. China Telecom and China Unicom need to make more efforts in differentiated services, tariff innovation, and ecological cooperation in order to gain advantages in certain segments. At the same time, the three major operators also need to strengthen their own construction, improve network quality and customer service levels, and better meet user needs.
Looking to the future, 5G technology will bring revolutionary changes to all walks of life. In the era of the Internet of Everything, telecom operators must not only provide faster and more stable network connections, but also actively embrace vertical industries and provide end-to-end solutions. This requires operators to continuously innovate in terms of technology, services, and business models. At the same time, the regulatory authorities should also keep pace with the times, encourage innovation, and strengthen the supervision of operators, standardize market order, and protect the rights and interests of users.
All in all, in the 5G era, the three major operators of China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom are both competitors and partners. They need to find a balance between competition and cooperation, and seize opportunities in innovation. There is no end to this marathon competition, only evolving milestones. Standing at the time node in 2024, we must not only summarize the past, but also look to the future. It is believed that with the joint efforts of all parties, China's communications industry will be able to continue to write new glories in the 5G era and contribute to the construction of digital China.