China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, announced a slowdown in subscriber growth in its latest operational data. The company added 5.54 million subscribers in December, bringing its total subscriber base to 583.52 million.

This figure represents a decrease compared to the 5.96 million new subscribers added in November. The slowdown suggests increasing market saturation and intensifying competition from other mobile operators in China.

While the overall subscriber base continues to expand, the rate of growth is decelerating. This trend may prompt China Mobile to focus on strategies to increase revenue per user and explore new growth areas, such as 4G and value-added services.

Analysts are closely watching China Mobile’s performance as an indicator of the overall health of the Chinese mobile market. The company’s future strategies will likely have a significant impact on the industry landscape.