China Unicom’s bottom-line improved in the opening quarter of 2021, as continued growth in 5G subscribers helped fuel a double-digit gain in ARPU.

Net profit grew 21.4 per cent year-on-year to CNY3.84 billion ($591 million), while total revenue rose 11.4 per cent to CNY82.3 billion.

Mobile service revenue increased 8.8 per cent to CNY41.07 billion, with ARPU up 11.5 per cent to CNY44.60. Products sales, including handsets, grew 51.3 per cent to CNY8.35 billion.

Its total mobile user base dipped by nearly 2 million to 309.3 million at end-March.

The operator closed Q1 with 91.9 million 5G package subscribers: it did not reveal numbers in the comparable quarter of 2020, but last month stated the sum stood at 70.8 million at the end of that year.

In the recent quarter, network, operation and support expenses were up 13.4 per cent due to higher site and equipment rental expenses, and energy charges resulting from network expansion.