List of mobile network operators

Last updated

For a more comprehensive list of mobile phone operators, see Mobile country codes.

Contents

Terrestrial

This is a list of the world's thirty largest terrestrial mobile phone network operators measured by number of subscriptions.

RankCountryCompanyMain marketsTechnologyTotal
subscriptions
(in millions)
Ownership
(100% ownership unless stated otherwise)
1China China Mobile
Communications Corporation
List
List
997.4 [1]
(April 2024)
Government of the People's Republic of China (74.25%)
Public stock (25.75%)
2India Bharti Airtel Limited
List
620.0 [2]
(March 2024)
Bharti Enterprises (66.57%)
Singtel (32.15%)
Google (1.28%)
3India Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited
List
472.42 [3]
(April 2024)
Jio Platforms
4China China Telecom Corp., Ltd
List
  • Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China
  • Flag of Macau.svg Macau
413.5 [4]
(April 2024)
China Telecommunications Corporation (State Owned) (70.89%)
5China China Unicom Limited
List
  • Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg China Unicom
  • Flag of Hong Kong.svg CUniq HK
  • Flag of the United Kingdom.svg CUniq UK
List
333.0 [5]
(December 2023)
China Unicom Limited (40.92%)
China Netcom Group (29.49%)
Telefónica (0.6%)
6United Kingdom Vodafone Group plc
List
323.0 [6]
(December 2023)
7Mexico América Móvil, S.A.B. de C.V
List
  • Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina (Claro)
  • Flag of Austria.svg Austria (Telekom Austria)
  • Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus (A1)
  • Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil (Claro)
  • Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria (A1)
  • Flag of Chile.svg Chile (Claro)
  • Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia (Claro)
  • Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica (Claro)
  • Flag of Croatia.svg Croatia (A1)
  • Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic (Claro)
  • Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador (Claro)
  • Flag of El Salvador.svg El Salvador (Claro)
  • Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala (Claro)
  • Flag of Honduras.svg Honduras (Claro)
  • Flag of Liechtenstein.svg Liechtenstein (A1)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico (Telcel)
  • Flag of Nicaragua.svg Nicaragua (Claro)
  • Flag of North Macedonia.svg North Macedonia (A1)
  • Flag of Panama.svg Panama (Claro)
  • Flag of Paraguay.svg Paraguay (Claro)
  • Flag of Peru.svg Peru (Claro)
  • Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Puerto Rico (Claro)
  • Flag of Serbia.svg Serbia (A1)
  • Flag of Slovenia.svg Slovenia (A1 Slovenija)
  • Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay (Claro)
311.6 [7]
(March 2024)
Helu Slim (36.50%)
Carlos Slim (6.84%)
Public stock (56.66%)
8Spain Telefónica S.A.
List
  • Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina (Movistar)
  • Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil (Vivo)
  • Flag of Chile.svg Chile (Movistar)
  • Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia (Movistar)
  • Flag of Ecuador.svg Ecuador (Movistar)
  • Flag of Germany.svg Germany (O2)
  • Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico (Movistar)
  • Flag of Peru.svg Peru (Movistar)
  • Flag of Spain.svg Spain (Movistar)
  • Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan (Sudan Unicom)
  • Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom (O2)
  • Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay (Movistar)
  • Flag of Venezuela.svg Venezuela (Movistar)
298.7 [8]
(March 2024)
9South Africa MTN Group Limited
List
  • Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan
  • Flag of Benin.svg Benin
  • Flag of Botswana.svg Botswana
  • Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon
  • Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg Republic of the Congo
  • Flag of Eswatini.svg Eswatini (30%)
  • Flag of Ghana.svg Ghana
  • Flag of Guinea.svg Guinea
  • Flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg Guinea-Bissau
  • Flag of Iran.svg Iran (49%)
  • Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Ivory Coast
  • Flag of Liberia.svg Liberia
  • Flag of Nigeria.svg Nigeria
  • Flag of Rwanda.svg Rwanda
  • Flag of South Africa.svg South Africa
  • Flag of South Sudan.svg South Sudan
  • Flag of Sudan.svg Sudan
  • Flag of Syria.svg Syria
  • Flag of Uganda.svg Uganda
  • Flag of Yemen.svg Yemen
  • Flag of Zambia.svg Zambia
List
287.6 [9]
(March 2024)
Public stock (60.02%)
Government Employees Pension Fund (25.33%)
M1 (10.05%)
10Germany Deutsche Telekom AG
List
255.8 [10]
(March 2024)
Free float (68.1%)
Federal Republic of Germany (31.9%)
11France Orange S.A.
List
242.6 [12]
(March 2024)
Public stock (77%)
Government of France (23%)
12India Vodafone Idea Ltd
List
210.1 [13]
(June 2024)
Government of India (23.8%)
Vodafone Group Plc (23.2%)
Aditya Birla Group (15%)
Institutional Holdings (20.1%)
Non-Institutional Holding (17.9%)
13USA AT&T Inc.
List
217.4 [14]
(January 2023)
Institutional Shares (59.28%)
Vanguard Group Inc (14.12%)
Blackrock Inc (11.49%)
State Street Corp (7.53%)
Newport Trust Co (5.07%)
Geode Captital Management, LLC (2.52%) [15]
14Malaysia Axiata Group Berhad
List
162.5 [16]
(December 2023)
Public stock (54.91%)
Government of Malaysia (45.09%)
15Indonesia PT Telekomunikasi Selular (Telkomsel)
List
  • Flag of Indonesia.svg Indonesia (Telkomsel Halo, Telkomsel PraBayar, by.U)
    Flag of East Timor.svg East Timor (Telkomcel)
List
159.3 [17]
(December 2023)
Telkom Indonesia (65%)
Singtel (35%)
16UAE Emirates Telecommunication
Group Company PJSC
(Etisalat)
List
  • Flag of the Taliban.svg Afghanistan
  • Flag of Benin.svg Benin
  • Flag of Burkina Faso.svg Burkina Faso
  • Flag of the Central African Republic.svg Central African Republic
  • Flag of Chad.svg Chad
  • Flag of Egypt.svg Egypt
  • Flag of Gabon.svg Gabon
  • Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Côte d'Ivoire
  • Flag of Mali.svg Mali
  • Flag of Mauritania.svg Mauritania
  • Flag of Morocco.svg Morocco
  • Flag of Niger.svg Niger
  • Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan (26%)
  • Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabia (27%)
  • Flag of Togo (3-2).svg Togo
  • Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg United Arab Emirates
List
159 [18]
(2021)
Emirates Investment Authority (60.03%)
Public stock (39.97%)
17Netherlands VEON Ltd.
List
  • Flag of Bangladesh.svg Bangladesh (Banglalink)
  • Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Kazakhstan (Beeline)
  • Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Kyrgyzstan (Beeline)
  • Flag of Pakistan.svg Pakistan (Jazz)
  • Flag of Ukraine.svg Ukraine (Kyivstar)
  • Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Uzbekistan (Beeline)
154.2
(November 2024)
Letterone Investment Holdings S.A. (47.9%)
Public stock (43.8%)
Stichting Administratiekantoor Mobile Telecommunications Investor (8.3%)
18USA Verizon Communications 156.7 [19]
(October 2024)
Verizon Communications
19South Africa Vodacom
List
List
154.9 [20] (May 2024) Vodafone Group Plc (65.1%)
Institutional Investors (15.76%)
Government of South Africa (13.54%)
YeboYethu (6.23%)
Retail positions (2.96%)
Wheatfield Investments(0.84%)
Others(0.17%)
20Qatar Ooredoo QSC
List
121 [21]
(2021)
Government of Qatar
21HKG CK Hutchison Holdings – Telecom Division
List
List
120 [22] (2022) CK Hutchison Holdings
22Vietnam Viettel Group
List
  • Flag of Burundi.svg Burundi (Lumitel)
  • Flag of Cambodia.svg Cambodia (Metfone)
  • Flag of Cameroon.svg Cameroon (Nexttel)
  • Flag of East Timor.svg East Timor (Telemor)
  • Flag of Haiti.svg Haiti (Natcom)
  • Flag of Laos.svg Laos (Unitel)
  • Flag of Mozambique.svg Mozambique (Movitel)
  • Flag of Myanmar.svg Myanmar (Mytel)
  • Flag of Peru.svg Peru (Bitel)
  • Flag of Tanzania.svg Tanzania (Halotel)
  • Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam
110.0 [23]
(December 2018)
Government of Vietnam
23Norway Telenor ASA
List
93.0 [24] [25]
(March 2024)
Government of Norway (53.97%)
Public stock (41.74%)
The Government Pension Fund of Norway (4.79%)
24Iran MTN Irancell
List
  • Flag of Iran.svg Iran
List
92.46 [26]
(April 2020)
TCI (94.09%)
Sukuk (5.91%)
25India BSNL Mobile 88.94 [30]
(April 2024) [Note 2] [27]
Government of India
26Russia Mobile TeleSystems (MTS)
List
  • Flag of Russia.svg Russia (MTS)
  • Flag of Armenia.svg Armenia (VivaCell-MTS)
  • Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus (MTS)
List
83.85 [31]
(Q3 2021)
Sistema (50.8%)
27Japan NTT Docomo Inc.
List
  • Flag of Japan.svg Japan
82.63 [32]
(May 2021)
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
28Russia MegaFon
List
  • Flag of Russia.svg Russia
  • Flag of Tajikistan.svg Tajikistan
70.5 [33]
(Q1 2021)
AF Telecom Holding LLC (56.32%)
USM Telecom LLC (43.68%)
29Philippines Globe Telecom Inc.
List
  • Flag of the Philippines.svg Philippines (Globe, TM, GOMO)
53.73 [34]
(Aug 2023)
Asiacom (50.81%)
Singtel (20.08%)

Public stock (15.65%)
Ayala Corporation (13.19%)
Directors, Officers, Executive Stock Option Plan (0.26%)

30Philippines PLDT Inc.
List
52.5 [35]
(Aug 2023)
Public (41.55%)
NTT Docomo (14.5%)

Philippine Telecommunications Investment Corp. (12.05%)
JG Summit Holdings (11.27%)

Metro Pacific Resources, Inc. (9.98%)

NTT Communications Corp (5.85%)

First Pacific (3.54%)

Satellite based

This is a list of the world's five largest satellite phone network operators measured by number of subscribers.

RankOperatorTechnologySubscribers
(in millions)
Ownership
1 Iridium Proprietary TDMA 0.824 (June 2016) [36]
2 Globalstar Proprietary CDMA 0.638 (March 2015) [37]
3 Thuraya Proprietary FDMA/GSM 0.260 (December 2007) [38] Etisalat (28%)
4 Inmarsat Proprietary GSM 0.254 (September 2009) [39]
5 ACeS Dual-mode Satellite/GSM 0.020 (December 2007)

See also

Footnotes

  1. BSNL and MTNL merger approved by Government of India.
  2. After adding subscribers of MTNL to BSNL, because MTNL will merge with BSNL.

Related Research Articles

India's telecommunication network is the second largest in the world by number of telephone users with over 1.20 billion subscribers as of August 2024. It has one of the lowest call tariffs in the world enabled by multiple large-scale telecom operators and the ensuant hyper-competition between them. India has the world's second largest Internet user-base with over 949.21 million broadband internet subscribers as of August 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3G</span> Third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology

3G is the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology. It is the upgrade to 2G, 2.5G, GPRS and 2.75G Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution networks, offering faster data transfer, and better voice quality. This network was superseded by 4G, and later by 5G. This network is based on a set of standards used for mobile devices and mobile telecommunications services and networks that comply with the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specifications set by the International Telecommunication Union. 3G is used in wireless voice telephony, mobile Internet access, fixed wireless Internet access, video calls and mobile TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobile virtual network operator</span> Wireless telecom service reseller

A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers. An MVNO enters into a business agreement with a mobile network operator to obtain bulk access to network services at wholesale rates, then sets retail prices independently. An MVNO may use its own customer service, billing support systems, marketing, and sales personnel, or it could employ the services of a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited</span> Indian central public sector undertaking

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited is an Indian central public sector undertaking, under the ownership of Department of Telecommunications, which is part of the Ministry of Communications, Government of India with its headquarters in New Delhi, India. The central public sector undertaking was established on 1 October 2000 by the Government of India. Its highest official is designated as Chairperson and Managing Director, who is a central civil service group 'A' gazetted officer from Indian Communication Finance Service cadre or central engineering service group 'A' gazetted officer from Indian Telecommunication Service cadre. It provides mobile voice and internet services through its nationwide telecommunications network across India. It is the largest government-owned-wireless telecommunications service provider in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited</span> Subsidiary of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. Headquartered in New Delhi, India. MTNL Provides services in the metro cities of Mumbai and New Delhi in India and in the island nation of Mauritius in Africa. It had a monopoly in Mumbai and New Delhi until 1992, when the telecom sector was opened to other service providers. "एमटीएनएल है, तो सही है" {"MTNL hai to sahi hai"} & "Transparency makes us different" is its motto. As of May 2024, it has 1.92 million subscribers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telia Norge</span> Subsidiary of the Swedish corporation Telia Company

Telia Norge AS, formerly NetCom AS, is a Norwegian Telecommunications Company. Founded in 1993, it is the second largest provider in Norway. The company has about 2,379 million mobile subscribers, and about 500,000 TV and broadband subscribers, and the company headquarters are located at Økern Portal in Oslo. It is owned by the Swedish company Telia Company. The Telia office in Trondheim consists mainly of sales, customer service and technical departments. Telia was for a while the exclusive carrier for iPhone in Norway, until Telenor signed an agreement with Apple Inc. to also distribute the device in Scandinavia.

In India, mobile numbers on GSM, WCDMA, LTE and NR networks start with either 9, 8, 7 or 6. Each telecom circle is allowed to have multiple private operators; previously it was two private + BSNL/MTNL, subsequently it changed to three private + BSNL/MTNL in GSM; however currently each telecom circle has all four operators including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone idea ltd and BSNL/MTNL.

Yettel Bulgaria is the largest mobile network and the third largest fixed telecommunications company in Bulgaria. The company was founded under the name "Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile" in 2001 by OTE and operated under the brand name "Globul" until 2014. In 2013 it was bought by Telenor and changed its name. In August 2018, the company was acquired by PPF, a Czech private investment fund. The company continued to use the Telenor brand until 1 March 2022, when it was renamed to Yettel Bulgaria. In February 2024, the company was acquired by e& (Etisalat), and the merger was approved by Bulgaria's competition watchdog. However the branding of Yettel has not yet been changed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bharti Airtel</span> Indian multinational telecommunications company

Bharti Airtel Limited is an Indian multinational telecommunications company based in New Delhi. It operates in 18 countries across South Asia and Africa, as well as the Channel Islands. Currently, Airtel provides 5G, 4G and LTE Advanced services throughout India. Currently offered services include fixed-line broadband, and voice services depending upon the country of operation. Airtel had also rolled out its Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology across all Indian telecom circles. It is the second largest mobile network operator in India and the third largest mobile network operator in the world. Airtel was named India's 2nd most valuable brand in the first ever Brandz ranking by Millward Brown and WPP plc.

BSNLMobile is an Indian state-owned telecommunication company of the Government of India. BSNL Mobile operates under the BSNL brand and provides wireless cellular services to B2B, B2C, & B2G segments in India. BSNL Mobile has a pan-India presence with presence in all the 22 telecom circles in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in India</span>

Telephone numbers in India are administered under the National Numbering Plan of 2003 by the Department of Telecommunications of the Government of India. The numbering plan was last updated in 2015. The country code "91" was assigned to India by the International Telecommunication Union in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet in India</span>

Internet in India began in 1986 and was initially available only to the educational and research community. General public access to the internet in India began on 15 August 1995. By 2023, India had more than 900 million Internet users. It is reported that in 2022 an average mobile Internet consumption in India was 19.5 GB per month and the mobile data usage per month rose from 4.5 exabytes in 2018 to 14.4 exabytes in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viettel</span> Vietnamese multinational telecommunications company & defense contractor

The Military Industry and Telecoms Group, trading as Viettel or Viettel Group, is a Vietnamese state-owned multinational telecommunications, technology and manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Hanoi, Vietnam. The enterprise is under the direct administration of the Vietnam Ministry of National Defence, making it a military enterprise and officially a major production unit under the Vietnam People's Army.

3G mobile telephony was relatively slow to be adopted globally. In some instances, 3G networks do not use the same radio frequencies as 2G so mobile operators must build entirely new networks and license entirely new frequencies, especially so to achieve high data transmission rates. Other delays were due to the expenses of upgrading transmission hardware, especially for UMTS, whose deployment required the replacement of most broadcast towers. Due to these issues and difficulties with deployment, many carriers delayed acquisition of these updated capabilities.

References

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  2. "Quarterly Highlights Report" (PDF). 31 March 2024.
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For a more comprehensive list of mobile phone operators, see Mobile country codes.