In what comes as yet another undeniable indicator of rampant mobile adoption inside of China, a new report shows that the number of 3G subscribers in China has increased by 88% in the last year alone.
As of the end of November, 222 million Chinese consumers were 3G subscribers.
“Even though China Mobile has 707.3 total wireless subscribers, making it the world’s largest carrier, the telecom has just 82.4 million 3G customers,” says Sam Oliver of Apple Insider. “China Mobile represents 64 percent of the total wireless subscribers in China, but only 37 percent of China’s 3G users — and its share shrunk from 41 percent of 3G users a year ago.”
According to prominent tech analyst Brian White with Topeka Capital Markets, 3G subscriber growth for China Mobile has actually been hampered by the fact that the carrier still doesn’t have a relationship with Apple, maker of the red hot iPhone that everyone in China seems to want today.
“China Mobile is the only major carrier in China that does not have a relationship with Apple to sell the iPhone,” White said Monday. “We still expect Apple and China Mobile to announce an agreement for the iPhone in 2013.”
If that happens, White believes the aforementioned subscriber rate will explode even more dramatically as 2013 progresses.
