China’s three state-owned mobile operators – China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom – plan to reduce mobile data tariffs by at least 30 per cent this year and take additional steps to expand broadband access in urban and rural areas.

In response to a new government policy on network speed upgrades and tariff reduction announced at the National People’s Congress on 5 March, each of the operators issued a statement outlining their plans to upgrade network speeds and reduce tariffs. In addition to the mobile data tariff cuts, the measures include achieving full coverage of high-speed broadband access, expanding free internet access in public places and significantly reducing broadband and private-line service tariffs.

The three eliminated domestic roaming charges in October 2017.

China Mobile, the country’s largest mobile player with a 62 per cent share of mobile connections, said it will “strive to reduce the impact on operating results” by working to “achieve a higher turnover despite a lower profit margin”.