The number of mobile phone subscribers in China is expected to reach 440 million in 2006 with 48 million expected to be added during the year, according to a forecast by the government’s Ministry of Information Industry. The constant expansion of mobile phone subscribers has been a major source of income for the communications sector, and is expected to touch 700 billion yuan ($86.8 billion) in 2006, up 10 per cent over 2005, according to the ministry. China recorded 58.604 million new mobile phone subscribers in 2005, with a monthly growth of about 5 million.
According to the Ministry of Information Industry, 33 per cent of China’s total population will own mobile phones by 2006.
