A new report from industry trade association GSMA looked to rank the world’s mobile operators based on their total revenues over the past 12 months and connections to their networks at the end of the second quarter, with both values ranked equally. The results showed strong penetration of mobile services internationally, with revenue strength led by the United States.
According to the GSMA Intelligence report, China Mobile was by far the largest mobile operator in the world with industry-leading revenues and customer base. The operator counted 790.6 million mobile connections at mid-year, with more than $108 billion in revenues over the previous 12 months. That connection count was more than the combined No. 2 and No. 3 operators, with a more than $20 billion revenue buffer over the No. 2 carrier.
Behind the China Mobile juggernaut, the rankings get a bit muddled. Vodafone Group was ranked at No. 2 overall, boosted by its vast empire across dozens of markets that totaled No. 2 in mobile connections with nearly 436 million. However, the paucity of spending in many of those markets dropped its revenue rank to No. 5 with $68.8 billion.
China Unicom was tipped at No. 3 in the overall rankings, with its third-ranked connection base of 295 million offsetting just a No. 10 ranking in 12-month revenues of $35.1 billion. Spain’s Telefónica Group was ranked No. 4 overall thanks to top-10 rankings in both connections (No. 6 with 249.4 million) and revenues (No. 7 with $49.3 billion).
The top five was rounded out by Mexico’s América Móvil, which was No. 5 in connections at 266.9 million and No. 9 in revenues at $41.6 billion. It should be noted that the company does own Tracfone Wireless, which is one of the largest resellers of no-contract mobile services in the United States, behind such offerings as Straight Talk, Net10 and its own branded offering.
U.S. revenue strength
Only one U.S.-based operator cracked the top 10 in the rankings, with AT&T Mobility scoring the No. 8 spot thanks to a No. 3 overall ranking in revenues at $73.2 billion and a No. 16 spot in connections at 116.6 million. Verizon Wireless’ No. 2 overall ranking in revenues at $85.6 billion was offset by a No. 22 rank in overall connection to come it at No. 13 overall on the list.
Germany’s Deutsche Telekom, which owns a controlling stake — for now — in T-Mobile US, was No. 6 overall in the rankings with a No. 6 ranking in revenues at $50.3 billion and No. 12 in connections at 146.9 million. Japan’s Softbank, which owns a controlling stake in Sprint, was No. 12 overall thanks to a No. 4 ranking in revenues at $70.3 billion on just a No. 20 connection ranking with 105 million mobile connections.
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