China Mobile has reported a 5.1% increase in net profit in 2017 to 114.28 billion yuan ($18.04 billion), as a result of strong revenue growth.
Operating revenue grew 4.5% to 740.51 billion yuan, with telecommunications service revenue growth reaching a six-year high of 7.2% to 668.35 billion yuan.
Wireless data revenue grew to account for more than half of telecoms service revenue for the first time during the year.
The company added 114 million 4G customers to take its total to 650 million, representing a 4G penetration rate of 73%. Mobile ARPU increased slightly to 57.7 yuan.
Wireline broadband customers meanwhile increased by 45.2% to 112.7 million, of which 109.4 million were household broadband customers. Household broadband blended ARPU grew 17.5% to 33.3 yuan due to the operator's focus on high value services and products.
Looking ahead to 2018, China Mobile said the company plans to continue to promote a big connectivity strategy and to consolidate its market shares across various business lines.
“From now until 2020 is the critical period for us to achieve our goal of doubling the connection scale of 2015 and becoming a world-leading operator in digital innovation,” China Mobile chairman Shang Bing said.
“As we stand at this inflection point, we have the responsibility to contemplate the future and set our development objectives and plans, that will play a solid foundation for the Company’s transformation in the new era.”