The World’s 10 Largest Mobile Operators by Subscriber Numbers in 2026

It sounds like a simple question, but subscriber numbers have become increasingly difficult to compare. Some operators include Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) SIMs in their reported mobile totals, while others report them separately. Some include fixed wireless access connections, and multinational groups sometimes quote subscriber numbers from associates in which they own only a minority stake.

With IoT connections now running into billions globally, simply taking the headline numbers can produce a rather misleading league table.

We have therefore attempted a slightly different comparison: the world's largest mobile operators and operator groups by mobile subscriber numbers, excluding M2M and IoT connections as far as the published data allows.

The figures use the latest information available at the end of August 2026, generally June or July 2026. They should be treated as approximate because reporting methodologies are not standardised between operators.

Rank Operator / Group Mobile subscribers excluding M2M/IoT

1         China Mobile         ~1.011 billion

2         Bharti Airtel            ~594 million

3         Reliance Jio            ~479 million

4         China Telecom        442 million

5         China Unicom         >357 million

6         MTN Group         318 million

7         América Móvil       ~300 million

8         Vodafone Group      279 million

9         Orange Group        ~261 million

10         e&                         ~245 million

China Mobile remains in a league of its own. At the end of June 2026, the operator had approximately 1.011 billion mobile customers. What makes the distinction particularly important is that China Mobile also had 1.511 billion IoT card connections. Those IoT connections are reported separately and are therefore not included in the figure above.

The scale difference is remarkable. China Mobile has more IoT connections than it has human mobile subscribers, and its mobile customer base alone is almost twice the size of the next operator group.

Bharti Airtel takes second place when its Indian and African businesses are combined. The latest TRAI figures show Airtel with around 489.5 million wireless connections in India, but approximately 84.45 million of these are M2M connections. Removing these gives just over 405 million Indian consumer mobile subscriptions. Airtel Africa reported another 189 million customers at the end of June 2026, producing a combined figure of roughly 594 million.

This illustrates why simply using operator headline subscriber numbers can be problematic. India now has 137.7 million cellular M2M connections, and TRAI explicitly states that its wireless subscriber figures include M2M connections.

The same adjustment changes the picture for Reliance Jio. TRAI reported around 506 million wireless connections for Jio at the end of July, but 26.56 million were M2M connections. That leaves approximately 479 million conventional mobile subscriptions, putting Jio comfortably in third place rather than above Airtel when Airtel's African operations are included.

Jio itself reports a much larger overall customer base of more than 533 million because its broader digital services reporting also reflects the rapid expansion of its fixed broadband and JioAirFiber businesses. This is another reason why company-level customer numbers cannot always be compared directly with mobile subscriber numbers.

The next two positions belong to China's other major state-owned operators.

China Telecom reported 442.43 million mobile subscribers at the end of June 2026, including 322.5 million 5G network subscribers. China's enormous mobile IoT population is counted separately from conventional mobile telephone users in national statistics.

China Unicom is slightly more difficult. Its 2025 annual report said that the number of mobile billing subscribers had exceeded 357 million. More recent reporting increasingly uses a much broader "connectivity subscribers" measure combining mobile, broadband, IoT and other connections, so I have retained the latest clean mobile-only figure rather than trying to derive a misleading number from the new KPI.

Africa's largest operator group, MTN, comes next. MTN reported 317.7 million active subscribers across 19 markets at the end of June 2026. More than 179 million of these were active data users.

América Móvil, owner of brands including Claro, Telcel and A1, reported 334.3 million wireless lines at the end of June. The difficulty is that this figure includes M2M subscriptions in several operations. For example, its Austria and Eastern Europe total alone includes 11.28 million A1 Digital M2M subscriptions, while Claro Brazil also reports substantial M2M additions. Once these are removed, I estimate the conventional mobile base to be around 300 million.

This estimate is necessarily less precise than the China Mobile or Vodafone figures because América Móvil does not publish a single group-wide mobile total excluding M2M.

Vodafone Group is much cleaner. Its 2026 annual report gives 279 million mobile customers while separately reporting 244 million IoT connections. This makes Vodafone one of the easiest multinational operators to compare for this exercise.

Orange reported 321.3 million mobile accesses at the end of June 2026, boosted significantly by the full consolidation of MasOrange in Spain. Its detailed KPI reporting includes M2M within parts of the mobile base, and removing those connections brings the conventional mobile total to roughly 261 million. Orange's Africa and Middle East business alone now serves around 180 million mobile customers, showing how important that region has become to the Group.

Finally comes e&, formerly Etisalat Group. Its aggregate subscriber base reached 251.5 million at the end of June 2026 following the consolidation of businesses including Telenor Pakistan and its expanded international portfolio. The headline figure contains a relatively small number of fixed subscribers as well as mobile connections, so a reasonable mobile-only estimate is around 245 million.

The bottom of the table is the least certain. Deutsche Telekom is very close to the top-ten boundary, but producing a comparable 2026 group mobile subscriber figure is now difficult. T-Mobile US changed its reporting in the first quarter of 2026 and now emphasises postpaid accounts rather than total customers. At the end of 2025 it had 142.4 million US customers, while Deutsche Telekom currently reports another 123.7 million mobile customers across Germany and its other European operations. However, the German figure explicitly includes substantial M2M SIMs, particularly automotive connections.

Depending on exactly how M2M, broadband and other non-phone connections are treated, Deutsche Telekom and e& could therefore exchange places around the tenth position.

Another operator group that can appear much larger in some rankings is Singtel. This is largely because Singtel has major investments in operators including Bharti Airtel, Telkomsel, AIS and Globe. Adding all of their subscribers to Singtel's total while also ranking those operators or groups separately would effectively count the same subscribers more than once. For this comparison, I have therefore concentrated on controlled operator businesses rather than attributing 100% of associate subscribers to their shareholders.

The exercise also highlights how dramatically the meaning of a "mobile connection" is changing.

China Mobile alone has more than 1.5 billion IoT connections. Vodafone has 244 million IoT connections, while India's M2M base has already reached almost 138 million. In many cases, an operator's total number of network connections is therefore substantially larger than the number of people actually using its mobile services.

For traditional mobile subscriber scale, however, the picture remains clear. China and India dominate the top of the global rankings, followed by large multi-country groups across Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East.

And China Mobile, with more than one billion conventional mobile customers before its enormous IoT business is even counted, remains comfortably the largest mobile operator in the world.

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: A Billion for China and China Mobile
• Operator Watch Blog: World's Largest Mobile Networks by Data Traffic - Q1 2024
• Operator Watch Blog: 8.05 Billion Mobile Subscribers with 5.22 Billion Unique by End of 2020
• Operator Watch Blog: World's Largest Mobile Networks by Data Traffic - March 2021 

Telia Shows How 5G Standalone Can Move Critical IoT Beyond Best Effort Connectivity

Telia has announced the launch of Telia Critical IoT Connectivity in Sweden, a new service that uses 5G Standalone technology to support more demanding Internet of Things applications. The announcement is interesting not just because it is another 5G SA milestone, but because it shows how operators are starting to turn the more advanced capabilities of 5G into commercial services for enterprise and public sector customers.

For years, IoT connectivity has often been discussed in terms of coverage, device volumes, battery life and cost. These are still important, especially for massive IoT applications such as smart meters, trackers and simple sensors. But not all IoT is the same. Some applications need much more than occasional data transfer. They need predictable performance, low latency, stronger security and the ability to keep working reliably when the network is under pressure.

That is where Telia’s announcement becomes significant. The company describes Critical IoT Connectivity as a service for highly demanding use cases in sectors such as emergency services, energy, transport, industry and healthcare. These are areas where connectivity is not just useful, but can become part of the operational fabric. A delayed meter reading may be inconvenient, but delayed video from an emergency vehicle, unreliable remote control in an industrial environment, or poor connectivity for critical infrastructure monitoring can have a much bigger impact.

The key technical shift here is 5G Standalone. Many early 5G deployments used 5G Non-Standalone, where the 5G radio was added while the network continued to rely on the 4G core. That helped operators launch 5G services quickly and deliver better mobile broadband, but many of the deeper 5G capabilities depend on the 5G Core. With 5G SA, the radio access network connects directly to the 5G Core, allowing the network to support more advanced service control, security, traffic management and slicing.

Network slicing is one of the most important parts of this story. Instead of treating every connection in the same best-effort way, slicing allows an operator to create logical network slices with different characteristics. One slice could be optimised for high reliability and low latency, another for high-performance video, another for massive IoT, and another for standard best-effort connectivity. The physical network may be shared, but the service behaviour can be differentiated.

For operators, this is an important step. 5G SA is not only about faster speeds for consumers. It is about creating a more flexible platform where different applications can be given different treatment depending on their requirements. That becomes especially relevant for IoT, because a smart meter, a video camera, a connected ambulance, an industrial robot and a remote monitoring system do not all need the same network behaviour.

Telia’s service also highlights the role of the public mobile network in critical IoT. Private 5G networks remain very important, especially for factories, ports, mines, airports, campuses and other controlled environments where local coverage, dedicated infrastructure and tight operational control are required. But there are many IoT use cases that are not limited to a single site. Transport systems, energy assets, emergency services, connected vehicles, field operations and distributed infrastructure often need wide-area connectivity.

This is where public 5G SA with slicing becomes attractive. It can offer a route to more predictable and secure connectivity over a much wider geography than a private network. Telia points to its Swedish 5G network coverage, which reaches 99.9% of the population and more than 94% of Sweden’s land area. That wide-area footprint matters because critical IoT often needs to work across cities, rural areas, transport corridors and distributed operational environments.

The announcement also builds on Telia’s NorthStar 5G innovation programme, which has been used to give partners early access to advanced 5G capabilities. This is worth noting because many of the most interesting enterprise 5G services are unlikely to appear fully formed overnight. They need trials, ecosystem development, operational learning and a better understanding of where customers are willing to pay for differentiated connectivity.

The bigger question for operators is whether 5G SA can help move enterprise IoT beyond simple connectivity pricing. If operators can offer more predictable performance, stronger isolation, security, policy control and service-level differentiation, then critical IoT becomes a more valuable proposition than a standard SIM or data plan. That does not mean every IoT application needs 5G SA or slicing, but it does mean operators have a stronger story for use cases where best effort is not enough.

There is also a need for realism. 5G SA does not automatically make every application ultra-reliable or ultra-low latency everywhere. The actual service experience will depend on how the network is designed, how the slice is configured, the available radio conditions, device capabilities, coverage, service-level agreements and operational processes. But the direction of travel is clear. 5G SA gives operators more tools to create differentiated services, and critical IoT is one of the clearest areas where those tools can be useful.

For the telecoms industry, this is the kind of announcement that matters because it connects technology evolution with commercial service design. 5G SA, 5G Core and network slicing have often been discussed in technical terms. Telia’s Critical IoT Connectivity shows how these capabilities can be packaged into something easier for enterprises and public sector organisations to understand: secure, stable and predictable connectivity for important operational applications.

The real opportunity is not just to connect more things. It is to connect the right things with the right level of performance, reliability, security and control. That is where 5G Standalone could become much more relevant for operators, enterprises and society-critical services.

We have also made a short explainer video on how 5G Standalone is being used for critical IoT, using this Telia announcement as an example:

Related Posts: 

• Private Networks Technology Blog: Private 5G Helps Volvo in Construction, Mining, Quarrying with Autonomous Transportation
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Telefónica Germany Pushes IoT Beyond Terrestrial Limits

The growing convergence of satellite and cellular connectivity is beginning to reshape how operators approach IoT, and a recent presentation by Miguel Rodriguez, Product Manager IoT at Telefónica Germany, offered a useful perspective on how this shift is playing out in practice.

Speaking at the “5G NTN and Satellite IoT” webinar hosted by Global 5G Evolution, Rodriguez outlined how Telefónica Germany is positioning itself to take advantage of non-terrestrial networks within its broader 5G IoT portfolio. Rather than viewing satellite as a disruptive threat, the company sees it as a natural extension of its connectivity capabilities, enabling it to address use cases that have traditionally remained out of reach.

Telefónica Germany has already built a comprehensive 5G IoT portfolio spanning high performance use cases with standalone and non-standalone 5G, as well as mid and low tier connectivity with RedCap, LTE-M and NB-IoT. The addition of narrowband NTN effectively extends this portfolio beyond terrestrial limitations, particularly for massive IoT deployments that require low power and wide coverage.

A key theme from the presentation was the idea of hybrid connectivity. The goal is not to replace terrestrial networks but to complement them, creating a seamless experience where devices can switch between cellular and satellite depending on availability. This approach is particularly relevant in areas where terrestrial coverage is patchy or economically unviable, such as remote infrastructure, agricultural land, transport corridors and maritime environments.

Rodriguez highlighted that even in mature markets like Germany, there are persistent coverage gaps. These are often in locations where investment in terrestrial infrastructure does not make commercial sense, yet where IoT data can be highly valuable. Satellite connectivity provides a practical way to fill these gaps, ensuring continuity of service and enabling new types of deployments.

On a global scale, the limitations become even more apparent. While low power wide area networks such as NB-IoT and LTE-M have achieved significant reach, there are still many regions without coverage or with limited roaming agreements. Satellite IoT offers a way to achieve truly global deployments, including in regions such as parts of Africa, Latin America and across oceans.

Telefónica Germany’s strategy involves working with multiple satellite partners to address different connectivity needs. For geostationary connectivity, it collaborates with Skylo, focusing on consistent availability and a well-developed device ecosystem. For low Earth orbit connectivity, it partners with OQ Technology, enabling intermittent but cost-effective communication suitable for periodic data transmission. On the broadband side, solutions involving Starlink are being integrated to support higher throughput use cases.

An important aspect of this approach is how it is packaged for customers. Telefónica Germany is aiming to simplify what could otherwise become a complex multi-network environment. The operator acts as a single contracting partner, providing one interface for connectivity management, data access and billing. This abstraction is critical in making hybrid connectivity accessible, particularly for enterprises that do not want to manage multiple providers and technologies.

Affordability also plays a central role. The ambition is to make satellite IoT viable for large scale deployments rather than niche applications. By integrating satellite usage into existing tariffs and enabling opportunistic connectivity, Telefónica Germany is attempting to lower the barrier to entry and support the expansion of massive IoT.

Beyond connectivity, the challenge of integrating satellite data into cloud platforms was also addressed. Narrowband satellite communication typically relies on lightweight protocols that are not directly compatible with standard cloud interfaces. Telefónica Germany’s Kite platform acts as a bridge, converting data into formats suitable for hyperscaler environments such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. This allows devices to remain efficient in terms of power and bandwidth while still enabling seamless cloud integration.

The energy sector emerged as a particularly strong use case for hybrid connectivity. From generation to distribution and consumption, there are numerous points where reliable data collection is critical. Satellite connectivity can support both primary communication in remote areas and fallback scenarios during outages, enhancing the resilience of energy infrastructure.

What becomes clear from this presentation is that non-terrestrial networks are not being treated as a separate domain but as an integral part of the overall connectivity fabric. The combination of terrestrial and satellite networks, supported by unified platforms and commercial models, is moving the industry closer to the idea of ubiquitous coverage.

For operators, this represents both a technical and strategic shift. The ability to offer global, seamless connectivity across multiple access technologies could become a key differentiator, particularly in enterprise and IoT markets. For customers, it opens up new possibilities for deploying connected devices in places that were previously considered unreachable.

The evolution of 5G into a truly integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial ecosystem is still in its early stages, but the direction is becoming increasingly clear. Hybrid connectivity is no longer just a concept. It is starting to take shape as a practical and scalable solution for the next phase of IoT growth.

The talk is embedded below:

Related Posts: 

• Operator Watch Blog: How O2 Telefónica is Redefining the Network with NaaS and Open APIs
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Seamless 5G Connectivity Across Germany on Deutsche Bahn
• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: O2 Telefónica Deutschland's Sustainable Phone Mast in Bavaria
• Connectivity Technology Blog: Berlin Subway gets 4G/LTE, Getting Ready for 5G
• Connectivity Technology Blog: 5G NB-IoT NTN Coverage Extension by Sateliot
• Connectivity Technology Blog: 'Gigabit Innovation Track' (GINT) Gets Green Light in Germany 

Deutsche Telekom wants to simplify IoT Connectivity via MECC (Make Everything Cellular Connected)

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming industries, but device manufacturers often face significant challenges when integrating cellular connectivity into their products. To address this, Deutsche Telekom (DT) has introduced MECC – Make Everything Cellular Connected, a solution designed to streamline and simplify IoT connectivity. By embedding cellular modules directly into devices during production, MECC eliminates the need for complex modem integrations and reduces entry barriers for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

IoT Integration, Straight from the Factory

Traditionally, adding cellular connectivity to IoT devices required manufacturers to retrofit devices with modems, SIMs, and connectivity management platforms. This process added complexity, time, and cost. MECC offers a radically simplified approach:

• Pre-installed connectivity: Cellular modules with embedded nuSIMs are directly integrated into products during manufacturing.
• Smart Standby Mode: Connectivity is only activated when needed, such as for remote configuration or device status updates. This minimises ongoing costs and optimises energy efficiency.
• Heartbeat and Dormant Tariffs: Manufacturers can choose basic standby connectivity plans during production, activating full IoT plans when the device is in use. This flexibility reduces the economic risk of mass-producing connected devices.

Partnerships Driving Adoption

Deutsche Telekom has teamed up with Nordic Semiconductor and PSsystec to bring MECC to market. Nordic Semiconductor’s IoT modules provide the hardware foundation, while PSsystec has incorporated MECC into its product range, enabling cellular connectivity out of the box.

At MWC 2025, DT showcased how MECC makes it easier and more cost-effective for manufacturers to integrate cellular connectivity without dealing with complex hardware configurations. During the session, industry leaders such as Dennis Nikles (CEO, Deutsche Telekom IoT) and Oyvind Birkenes (EVP, Nordic Semiconductor) highlighted how MECC reduces development time and provides scalable IoT solutions.

The video of the session is embedded below:

Reducing Complexity, Increasing Flexibility

One of the key benefits of MECC is its flexibility for both manufacturers and end-users:

• For manufacturers: By embedding IoT modules during production, OEMs avoid the need for time-consuming and costly retrofitting. Devices leave the factory connectivity-ready, with the option to activate full IoT functionality later.
• For end-users: Devices can be remotely configured, updated, and monitored from day one, enabling manufacturers to offer enhanced services such as predictive maintenance or usage-based pricing models.

Lower Costs, Faster Time-to-Market

With MECC, DT offers graduated hardware pricing models, allowing manufacturers to install IoT modules in mass production without incurring full connectivity costs upfront. For example:

• Standby connectivity costs as little as €10 per year per device, with the option to upgrade to a full IoT Business LPWA data plan when needed.
• The integrated nuSIM eliminates the need for physical SIMs, saving space and reducing power consumption.

A Milestone for IoT

By pre-installing cellular connectivity at the manufacturing stage, Deutsche Telekom’s MECC solution significantly lowers the barriers to IoT adoption. It offers manufacturers a flexible, cost-efficient way to bring connected products to market faster while enabling new service models. As IoT adoption accelerates, solutions like MECC will play a vital role in driving scalability and innovation across industries.

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New Caledonia to Shutdown 2G and Launch 5G while Relying on 3G & 4G

New Caledonia, situated in the Southern Pacific, is a unique collectivity of France. A French collectivity is a territory that is governed by the French Constitution and has its own local government and regulatory authority. It operates independently from the European Union, exempting it from EU roaming regulations. As a result, international providers typically impose high roaming charges for usage within New Caledonia. Even French providers treat New Caledonia as an overseas destination, akin to certain other French overseas territories. Despite this, the archipelago boasts a robust telecommunications infrastructure, ensuring both residents and visitors have access to a diverse range of mobile services.

OPT-NC dominates New Caledonia's telecommunications landscape, holding a monopoly over fixed and mobile voice services, mobile internet, fixed broadband access, and wholesale services for other internet service providers.

The nation benefits from extensive 3G and LTE networks, contributing to one of the highest highest smartphone adoption rates in the Pacific region. Projections indicate that smartphone penetration will rise to 71% by 2025.

Mobile services operate on various frequencies depending on the location within the country: 2G operates on 900 MHz, while 3G operates on 900 MHz in rural areas and 2100 MHz in urban centers. 4G/LTE operates on 800, 1800, and 2100 MHz (bands 1, 3, 20).

L’Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC) stands as the exclusive operator, a public enterprise established in 2003. Its services encompass banking, postal, and telecommunications provisions, including landline, ADSL, and mobile phone services.

The 2G network is being phased out since 2022 and will cease to exist on 1st Jan 2025. The press release explains (translated from French):

OPT-NC has stopped deploying new 2G sites since 2019 and has been gradually shutting down the technology since the beginning of 2022 on sites in urban areas. The final shutdown is planned for 2025.

To confirm the definitive end of 2G technology, OPT-NC supports its customers by:

• Extending homogeneous 3G/4G coverage to the current 2G coverage; 
• Densifying the dimensioning of the mobile network so as to be able to properly absorb traffic;
• Deploying cellular Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, namely:
• the NB-IoT which will serve uses such as smart metering, smart city, smart agriculture;
• the CAT-M1 which is a network capable of responding to complex issues, mobility or real time. It will provide the same level of service as 2G for uses such as vehicle tracking.

OPT, in conjunction with the government of New Caledonia, is progressing with the implementation of private 5G networks. Earlier this year marked the initial stride toward integrating "private 5G" networks into industrial sectors within New Caledonia.

Olivier Amat, the director of telecommunications at OPT, elucidated the organization's strategy strategy regarding 5G. He recounted the evolution from 2G to 4G before delving into the potentials of 5G: "With speeds of up to 10Gbps, support for up to 100 times more connected devices per coverage area, a service life of up to 10 years for low-power IoT device batteries, 99.999% availability, 5 milliseconds latency, and 100% coverage." This progression serves as a testament to the advancements, leaving the limitations of 4G behind. Following some technical and tactical intricacies along with "ergotical" definitions, Olivier disclosed plans for local deployment of the technology, culminating with a compelling statistic: on average, each individual now consumes twice as much data in a single week as they did throughout the entirety of 2010.

Meanwhile Google is trying to make inroads into New Caledonia, due to its strategic geography in the Indo-Pacific region, where China and the US are waging a battle of influence over subsea internet cables.

French authorities recently said they had lifted a ban ban in New Caledonia on TikTok, which they suspect of fuelling recent unrest in the French Pacific territory. The government believes the app was being used by those opposed to French rule to communicate and organise violent protests.

Swisscom Outlines Challenges and Plan to Transition to a Software Company

In a recent keynote at Mobile Europe's Telco to Techco, Christoph Aeschlimann, CTO & CIO, Swisscom gave a presentation on 'Redefining telco for the digital age'. During the presentation he highlighted the challenges of being a 170 year old operator, from infrastructure to processes and mindset.

To overcome these challenges, Christoph believes that a three pronged approach will be needed as highlighted in the image below:

1. Disaggregation of Hardware and Software
2. Telcos need to be become software companies
3. AI and automation to create new opportunities

Swisscom following footsteps of other telcos like VF & AT&T in asserting importance of inhouse software expertise

I hugely agree with this pic.twitter.com/luai5yCfaC

— Dean Bubley (@disruptivedean) March 29, 2022

The current CEO of Swisscom, Urs Schaeppi, is stepping down from his role as a CEO and the Board of Directors has elected Christoph Aeschlimann as the new CEO of Swisscom. This will allow him to implement his vision of transitioning to a software company where many of the tools will be developed in house.

The presentation below is definitely worth listening to, along with the interesting Q&A at the end. Kudos to him for tackling all difficult questions on how they plan to transition to a software company going forward and how they will operate.

Interested in knowing your thoughts.

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Deutsche Telekom's 'Tech Grounds' 2021

Back in June, Deutsche Telekom hosted a digital conference for sharing knowledge and experiencing the latest innovations. 'Telekom Tech Grounds' for magenta technology and green power took place on 28 & 29 June 2021. The event was hosted virtually and the admission was free for all. You can access the event here.

The Media Information kit highlighted:

Deutsche Telekom presents ideas and technical solutions that address four key questions: How will we tackle climate change as a Telco – together with our partners and clients? How will innovations empower business and digital health solutions? How will we leverage real-time data to build smart digital lifestyle environments and ecosystems? How will we transform networks into software-based platforms and services, enabling new business models? 

Four topic areas will be presented on different virtual stages. They focus on "Business Innovation," "Network Differentiation," "Home Innovation" and "Sustainability." 

Digital transformation in the telecommunications and IT industry is advancing at a rapid pace. "Digital technologies will play a key role in overcoming current challenges: without them, for example, we will not achieve climate neutrality," said Claudia Nemat, Telekom Board member responsible for technology and innovation. The CTO adds examples: "Video conferencing can continue to replace a large part of business travel. In agriculture, IoT-based applications effectively reduce the use of fertilizer, while smart home and smart grid applications help reduce our electricity consumption."  

Nice video of Deutsche Telekom's O-RAN Town in Neubrandenburg, Germany - https://t.co/Hb6XPN86bn

Three different approaches with Virtualized Open RAN networks:
1. D-RAN
2. Centralized vCU
3. Centralized vCU+vDU#Free5Gtraining #3G4G5G #MWC21 #4G #5G #OpenRAN #ORAN #ORANalliance

— Free 5G Training (@5Gtraining) July 7, 2021

Telekom switches on O-RAN Town in Neubrandenburg

Deutsche Telekom has put its ‘O-RAN Town’ into operation in Neubrandenburg, Germany. RAN stands for "Radio Access Network" and refers to components of antenna technology in mobile communications. And Open RAN, because unlike in the past, technology components from a large number of different technology suppliers are to work together. O-RAN Town will provide 4G and 5G services based on Open RAN at up to 25 sites. The first sites have now gone into operation and been integrated into Telekom Deutschland's live network. This includes Europe's first integration of Massive MIMO radio units (mMIMO, MIMO = multiple input, multiple output). This involves the use of a large number of small antennas per transmission unit. 

At O-RAN Town, Deutsche Telekom is researching, enhancing and verifying the end-to-end capabilities of the Service Management and Orchestration Tool (SMO) developed in-house based on open source. The SMO is used for automated testing, remote site configuration, and network anomaly detection and resolution. Deutsche Telekom plans to gradually expand O-RAN Town, working with various vendors. These solutions are currently being tested in the lab to ensure interoperability across all components. 

Deutsche Telekom says it wants to make Open RAN “deployable across its footprint by 2023”. Yesterday, it confirmed Europe’s first deployment with massive MIMO, at its "O-RAN Town" in Neubrandenburg, Germany. #MWC21 #TelekomTechGrounds pic.twitter.com/OlTZG7ZAiA

— Kester Mann (@kestermann) June 29, 2021

Network slicing for customized networks

Individual requirements are playing an increasingly important role, especially in industry: data rates, speeds or latency times. To meet these requirements, Telekom is testing network slicing. This means operating multiple virtual networks in parallel on the basis of a common network infrastructure. Network slicing is a key feature of 5G. Several virtual networks can be operated on a single physical network infrastructure. The network is “cut into slices", the so-called network slices. Different service characteristics and quality parameters can be provided for each "slice". The slices are completely isolated from each other. They can thus be adapted to different customer requirements. 

Together with its partners Ericsson and Samsung, Deutsche Telekom has now announced the world's first implementation, which was carried out across all manufacturers in the laboratory environment in Bonn. Another new feature allows a device to steer applications and services with specific requirements to a defined slice. With this, a customer can experience great service quality by serving applications with the right network slice.

Deutsche Telekom and Samsung join forces for sustainability 

Deutsche Telekom and Samsung are entering into a strategic partnership for sustainability. The core of the collaboration is the development of a green smartphone suitable for the mass market. It will support 5G technology and be designed to be sustainable. This includes easy repair and a removable battery. The smartphone is planned for the end of 2022.

The two companies are also focusing on a holistic approach. This also focuses on the service life of smartphones. Samsung is already an integral part of the Telekom cell phone cycle in Germany and Poland, which gives phones a second life. As part of the cycle, Telekom repurchases used phones, refurbishes them, and puts them back into circulation.

Digital port logistics: Drones secure port of Hamburg

Customer satisfaction is also a focus for Telekom when it comes to setting up campus networks. A few days ago, Telekom announced the establishment of a campus network in the Port of Hamburg on behalf of HHLA Sky, a subsidiary of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG. HHLA Sky will control and monitor a fleet of industrial drones from a single control center using the campus network. At HHLA's terminals, the drones will inspect container bridges and asphalt surfaces to improve safety on the port site. This saves time compared to previous inspection procedures. In addition, the drones reliably transmit sensor and flight data via the campus network.

IoT Boost

Getting devices and applications up and running on the IoT is now easier than ever: Telekom and 1NCE, with clear focus on low bandwidth IoT connectivity, in cooperation with Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), offer the new Zero Touch service. This makes the integration of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions as if by magic: simple and fast in the cloud with automated device onboarding on AWS. This is designed to rapidly reduce the complexity for customers by enabling them to easily set up and run their IoT solutions.

And that's the point. Technology must put people at the center. That applies to this solution as well as the others presented. Hence the motto of the Telekom Tech Grounds: #HumancenteredTechnology.  www.techgrounds.telekom.com.

The first day of the #TelekomTechGrounds was all about the questions how we are constantly improving our network, ensuring carbon-neutral business operations by 2040 and what our vision for #6G 🚀 looks like. All sessions are also available on demand 👉https://t.co/H5L80i5Yow pic.twitter.com/qcsnP7Dbqg

— Deutsche Telekom AG (@deutschetelekom) June 28, 2021

You can also find a short summary of Telekom Tech Ground Network Differentiation Session by Dr. Alex Jinsung Choi, Deutsche Telekom Senior Vice President, Head of Strategy & Technology Innovation, COO of O-RAN Alliance, on his LinkedIn post here. Some pictures from the O-RAN session can be found on the LinkedIn post by Abdu Mudesir, Senior Vice President of Deutsche Telekom, here.

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China Telecom's 5G and IoT Progress

China Telecom's 2020 results were published this week. The PDF of that is available here. Capacity Media reported:

China Telecom has reported 2020 revenues up by 4.7% on the year with earnings up 1.4%.

The company said its revenues were 393.6 billion renminbi in 2020 — equivalent to US$60.7 billion. EBITDA was 118.9 billion renminbi, said the company, equivalent to $18.3 billion.

Meanwhile the company said that “5G achieved a promising start, with 86.5 million people now subscribing to 5G packages, 24.6% of the company’s mobile customers. “The number of mobile subscribers reached 351 million with net addition of 15.45 million, and the market share expanded to 22.0%.”

The small print of the company’s revenue breakdown show that 5G customers are spending on average 65.6 renminbi ($10.11) each, compared with 44.1 renminbi ($6.79) for mobile customers as a whole.

RCR Wireless said: 

China Telecom expects to increase investments in 5G infrastructure this year with the aim of almost doubling the number of base stations in the country, the company said in its annual report.

The Chinese carrier said it has earmarked a total of CNY39.7 billion ($6.1 billion) for 5G capex, slightly up from CNY39.2 billion in 2020.

Last year, China Telecom, together with rival operator China Unicom deployed 300,000 5G sites across China and ended 2020 with a combined 380,000.

For 2021, China Telecom said it expects to reach a total of 700,000, offering full 5G coverage in all counties and in certain developed towns, rural areas, railway lines and highways.

At the end of 2020, the telco had a total mobile base of 351 million mobile subscribers, up 4.6% year-on-year. The operator added an average of 6.83 million 5G subscribers a month to end 2020 with a total of 86.5 million. China Telecom had commercially launched 5G services in late October 2019 and closed that year with 4.6 million subscribers.

In 2020, 5G subscribers generated ARPU of CNY65.60 compared with CNY44.10 for its overall user base, which experienced a decline of 3.7% year-on-year.

But the most interesting bit was on IoT as can be seen from this Tweet

China Telecom’s IoT division has (roughly) twice as many connections as Vodafone, and generates (less than) half the revenue.

— Tom Rebbeck (@tomrebbeck) March 9, 2021

Ibraheem Kasujee, IoT Analyst at Analysys Mason noted that, IoT connections reached 237.6m (+50.9% on 2019), but IoT revenue was 'only' CNY2.2 billion (USD338 million), +16.9% on 2019. Implies a monthly ARPC of < USD0.15. Tom Rebbeck, Partner at Analysys Mason noted that China Telecom’s IoT division has (roughly) twice as many connections as Vodafone, and generates (less than) half the revenue.

The annual report points out that, "IoT includes mobile data traffic, SMS, value-added services & applications related to IoT, other IoT Projects, etc."

We will have to wait and see how many of these are 2G/3G IoT vs 4G NB-IoT/LTE-M.

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KDDI Japan's IoT march continues with over 10 Million Connections

Pictures source: Financial Results for the Q3 of the Fiscal Year Ending March 2020 - Jan 2020 (link)

In a recent press release, KDDI announced (in Japanese) that it has now exceeded 10 million IoT connections that it has been providing since 2001. Initially it was all M2M but since then IoT has been introduced and the number of IoT connections, in comparison to M2M is increasing.  KDDI Group as a whole will provide a one-stop system for providing IoT, including devices (sensing), network infrastructure, cloud, and data analysis that are essential for promoting IoT. Utilizing the knowledge of the IoT field that has been cultivated to date, the KDDI DIGITAL GATE business development base in the 5G / IoT era is promoting digital transformation for corporate customers in Japan and overseas.



The IoT provided by KDDI is being introduced into smart meters, connected cars equipped with communication functions in vehicles, home security, etc., making it possible to visualize signs of failure of factory equipment and waste of production costs, as well as at construction sites. Efforts are being made to protect workers from changes in temperature and sudden changes in weather, as well as in primary industries such as agriculture and fisheries. For example, the know-how related to fisheries, which relied on experience and intuition, is being used to create and accumulate data using the IoT to establish aquaculture technology, which is used for regional revitalization.

Going forward, KDDI hopes to use the services combining 5G and AI to further utilize existing fields, and further expand the IoT not only in Japan but also overseas through the IoT Global Infrastructure. KDDI IoT Portal is available here.

KDDI opened its first IoT/5G lab, called KDDI DIGITAL GATE, in central Tokyo in September 2018. This lab, which was supported by KDDI’s specialist partners, such as SORACOM, iret, ARISE Analytics and Scrum Inc., was used to co-create new businesses with customers and drive innovation.

KDDI completed nationwide coverage of LTE-M in June 2018. The IoT being developed by KDDI is being introduced into smart meters, connected cars equipped with communication functions in vehicles, home security, etc., making it possible to visualize signs of failure of factory equipment and waste of production costs, as well as at construction sites. Efforts are being made to protect workers from changes in temperature and sudden changes in weather, as well as in primary industries such as agriculture and fisheries.

For example the Toyooka City Smart Agriculture Project, uses LTE-M-connected sensors to monitor water levels in paddy fields.

The low power wide area (LPWA) provided by LTE-M connectivity was also being used to support climbers tackling Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain. KDDI uses LTE-M to track the number of climbers at the starting point for an ascent (the trails can get crowded), as well as temperatures and humidity levels during the climbing season from 10th July 2018 to 10th Sep 2018.

Moreover, KDDI has also used LPWA technologies to develop a system for detecting landslides in mountainous areas, and a solution for monitoring the occupancy of toilets and for controlling the amount of water used to flush a latrine. Over time, the operator expects LTE-M to be used in a wide range of IoT applications, including highly mobile solutions for the logistics and consumer wearable sectors.

Another example of their innovative work is an aqua-culture technology project that has revived the local production of mackerel.  Equipment that can measure water temperature, oxygen concentration and salt concentration on an hourly basis hour have been installed in the fishing port of Takara, Obama City. The results are transmitted to the server via KDDI's mobile line, and the situation can be grasped remotely using a tablet terminal, so informing fisherman of vital information for a good catch.



In the future KDDI intend to use their services combining 5G and AI to further utilize existing fields, and further expand the IoT not only in Japan but also overseas through the IoT Global Infrastructure.

KDDI will promote “fusion of communication and life design” and contribute to the business of corporate customers as a “company that contributes to sustainable growth of society” and create new experience value.

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Jio Makes Another Set of Extremely Bold Announcements

Reliance Jio certainly knows how to stay in news, not just because of clever marketing but because of its extremely bold initiatives that is starting to make not just their competitors nervous but other industries like the cinemas, ISPs, cable companies, etc.

In the latest annual general meeting (AGM - video embedded below), their Chairman and Managing Director, Mukesh Ambani made some very interesting announcements. The complete statement is available here but here are the main points (from the report - note the CAPS is as shown in the report, not emphasized by me but the bold is by me):

• JIO's customer base has crossed 340 million users and they are signing up more than 10 million new customers EACH MONTH.
• The core and aggregation layers of our converged network have been 5G ready since day one
• Jio is now Ready to kickstart FOUR more engines of CONNECTIVITY REVENUE for Jio.

• INTERNET OF THINGS or IoT all over India.
• JIO has developed an innovative service on its pan-India 4G network called Narrowband Internet-of-Things or NBIoT, for short.
• Within another 2 years, it is estimated that there will be more than 2 Billion Connected IOT devices in India
• Jio aims to connect at least 1 BILLION of these on JIO's IoT platform
• This translates into a ₹20,000 CRORE PER YEAR revenue opportunity for JIO.
• Jio's IoT platform will be commercially available starting 1st January, 2020.
• HOME BROADBAND.
• Jio Fiber, currently in preview phase with 500,000 users but will launch commercially on September 5.
• The trial homes on average are consuming more than 100 GBs per month and this usage is increasing with each passing day.
• Jio has drawn up a plan to reach 20 million residences and 15 million business establishments in these 1,600 towns
• The company will offer plans from ₹700 ($10) to ₹10,000 ($140) with speeds up to 1Gbps.
• You get a landline phone connection, at no additional cost.
• And you get a DIGITALSET-TOP-BOX that opens up unparalleled digital experiences within your home
• ULTRAHIGH DEFINITION ENTERTAINMENT
• VIRTUAL REALITY content
• MULTI-PARTY VIDEO CONFERENCING
• VOICE-ENABLED VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS
• INTERACTIVE GAMING
• HOME SECURITY
• and many other SMART-HOME SOLUTIONS
• JIO SET-TOP-BOX to accept the broadcast cable TV signals from our LCO (Local Cable Operators) partners.
• BROADBAND for SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES.
• JIOFIBER enables a powerful combination of FIXED-LINE CONNECTIVITY and CLOUD APPLICATIONS leapfrogging them from NO TECHNOLOGY to having a complete line-up of cutting-edge, plug-and-play technology enabled tools.
• (Large) ENTERPRISE BROADBAND.
• Today cloud-based solutions provide out-of-the-box capabilities which are easier, faster and cheaper to adopt. JIOFIBER and JIO's cloud solutions level the playing field for Indian enterprises enabling them to accelerate their digital transformation and compete globally using the very same technologies that are used by global majors.
• JIOFIBER plan STARTS WITH 100 Mbps speed and we have plans all the way up to 1 Gbps or 1000 Mbps, plans will be priced between ₹700 to ₹10,000 per month to suit every budget and every need.
• Landline voice calls from home to any Indian operator - mobile or fixed - will be absolutely free forever.
• Bundled landline service will let them call any network in the country for free.
• Unlimited free calls to the US and Canada for ₹500 ($7) per month.
• JIOFIBER plans will come BUNDLED with subscriptions to most leading premium OTT applications.
• Premium JIOFIBER customers will be able to watch movies in their living rooms the same day these movies are released in theatres! This is called JIO FIRST-DAY-FIRST-SHOW. Jio plans to launch this service in the middle of 2020.
• A special mobility service for our JioFiber users called JIO POSTPAID PLUS, to deliver a platinum-grade service and product experience.
• India's first priority SIM-setup service at home, where your connection will be moved to Jio by visiting your home.
• Seamless Data and Voice Connectivity across all your devices, both at home and outside.
• Unprecedented Family plans – one data plan for better control on GBs and sharing within your family.
• International roaming at a fraction of a cost with superior service experience
• Phone upgrades at preferential rates
• All your home solutions on your phone.

• JIOFIBER customers who opt for our annual plans which we call JIO-FOREVER plans, will get an HD OR 4K LED TELEVISION and a 4K SET-TOP-BOX ABSOLUTELY FREE. We are calling this the JIOFIBER WELCOME OFFER.
• JIO is already a software company.
• JIO has over 6000 software engineers and we are continuing to attract technology talent from across India and the world.
• JIO is also investing in a growing ecosystem of technology startups.
• Blockchain technology all over India: Using Blockchain, we also have an opportunity to invent a brand-new model for data privacy where Indian data especially customer data is owned and controlled through technology by the Indian people and not by corporates, especially global corporations. Data is wealth and Indian wealth must remain in India
• Over the next 12 months, JIO will install across India one of the largest blockchain networks in the world with tens of thousands of nodes operational on day one.
• Edge computing and Virtual and Mixed Reality content: Delivering immersive content to hundreds of millions of users requires a well-integrated solution spanning connectivity, data storage and real-time computing. And we need to deploy such solutions at the edge of the network or in other words, closer to where our users are.
• JIO is setting up a pan-India Edge Computing and Content Distribution network again starting with tens of thousands of nodes.
• This means that your favourite content and applications will be even nearer to you. So even faster downloads and faster response times.
• CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE across India: To leapfrog the world, it is a national imperative to develop a nation-wide cloud computing infrastructure that is both cutting-edge and affordable. Jio and Microsoft have entered into a globally unique long-term alliance to accelerate the digital transformation of our country. 
• As part of this alliance, while Jio sets up a network of large world-class datacenters across India, Microsoft will bring its Azure cloud platform into Jio's datacenters. 
• When we put these two pieces together, we now have the capability to develop truly India-native solutions including Speech Recognition and Natural language understanding for all major Indian languages and dialects.

As a result of the announcements, Reliance shares went up 12% in biggest intraday rise in decade; Airtel and Vodafone shares dipped. Some cinemas have been unnerved by Reliance Jio offer, leading multiplex companies hit back saying that they will not screen films that are released on OTT simultaneously.

A fact that was announced during the demo was that the amount of fiber already laid by Jio can circle the earth 11 times.

Here is the complete AGM video



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KDDI's M2M / IoT History, Solutions, Cloud Data Market & Ecosystem

Explained in 4 slides below

Further details on KDDI website here.