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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
China Mobile.

China dominates the world of mobile telecommunications with the largest subscriber base. China Mobile is the world's largest mobile operator.

Here's a look at the top 20 mobile operators across the world...

1. China Mobile (China)
Subscribers: 627.63 million
(August 2011)

The Chinese state-owned telecommunication company is the most valuable mobile telecommunications company in the world.

It is listed on both the NYSE and the Hong Kong stock exchange. The world's largest mobile operator was founded in 1997. China Mobile controls 70 per cent of the market share.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A customer walks past Singtel logos after visiting a Hello shop at the company's headquarters in Singapore.

2. SingTel (Singapore)

Subscribers: 416 million
(August 2011)

SingTel has a combined mobile subscriber base of 416 million customers from its own operations and regional associates in 25 countries.

SingTel is also the largest company by market capitalisation listed on the Singapore Exchange and is majority owned by Temasek Holdings, the investment arm of the Singapore government.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A man walks past a large logo of Vodafone displayed on a shop in Mumbai.

3. Vodafone (United Kingdom)
Subscribers: 381.72 million
(June 2011)

Vodafone Group is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest in terms of subscribers.

It operates in over 30 countries and has partner networks in over 40 additional countries.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
The logo of America Movil is seen on the wall of the reception area in the company's new corporate offices in Mexico.

4. America Movil (Mexico)
Subscribers: 236 million
(June 2011)

America Movil headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico has the fourth largest mobile network operator in terms of equity subscribers. One of the largest corporations in Latin America, it is a Fortune 500 company.

Owned by the world's richest man, Carlos Slim Helu, America Movil provides services in the Americas, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
People wait in line to purchase the new iPhone 3GS on the first day it is being sold in Spain at a Telefonica store in Madrid.

5. Telefonica (Spain)
Subscribers: 227.32 million
(June 2011)

Telefonica is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. It is the largest fixed phone and ADSL operator in Spain.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A boy talks on a mobile phone as he walks past a billboard of Bharti Airtel.

6. Bharti Airtel (India)
Subscribers: 227.04 million
(September 2011)

Bharti Airtel operates in 20 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands. It operates a GSM network in all countries, providing 2G or 3G services depending upon the country of operation.

Airtel is the fifth largest telecom operator in the world with about 230.8 million subscribers across 19 countries at the end of June 2011.

It is the largest cellular service provider in India, with over 173.73 million subscribers at the end of October 2011

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
An Orange logo is pictured next to a Sunrise logo at shop selling mobile devices in Zurich.

7. Orange (Orange France)
Subscribers: 217.3
(June 2011)

Orange is the key brand of France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators.

Orange is one of the main European operators for mobile and broadband internet services under the brand Orange Business Services.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A pedestrian walks past a Telenor store in central Stockholm.

8. Telenor (Norway)
Subscribers: 203 million
(December 2010)

Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, under the Telenor brand.

Telenor started off in 1855 as Telegrafverket, a provider of telegraph services.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A general view of Russia's second largest mobile phone firm Vimpelcom's main office in Moscow.

9. VimpelCom (Russia)
Subscribers: 193 million
(July 2011)

Founded in 1992, Beeline is the trademark of the Russian telecommunication operator, VimpelCom. In 1996, it became the first Russian company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
Security guards ride past a China Unicom office in Beijing.

10. China Unicom (China)
Subscribers: 169.7 million
(January 2011)

China Unicom or China United Netcom is a Chinese state-owned telecommunications operator. China Unicom was founded as a Government-owned corporation, established on July 19, 1994, by the Ministry of Information Industry and approved by the State Council.

In 2008, China Unicom sold its CDMA business and assets to China Telecom.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
Workmen install a sign with TeliaSonera's new corporate logo.

11.TeliaSonera (Sweden)
Subscribers: 160 million
(December 2010)

TeliaSonera is a major mobile network operator in Sweden and Finland. The company has operations in Northern, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Spain.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
An Axiata logo is seen at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

12. Axiata Group Berhad (Malaysia)
Subscribers: 159.7 million
(December 2010)

Axiata Group Berhad is one of the leading telecommunication companies in Asia.

The company founded in 1992, has its primary business is in investment holding and offers telecommunication and consultancy services on an international scale.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A cyclist rides past a Reliance communications billboard in Mumbai.

13. Reliance Communications (India)
Subscribers: 144.78 million
(July 2011)

Reliance Communications is world's 13th largest mobile phone operator with over 144 million subscribers.

Established in 2004, as a subsidiary of the Reliance Group, the company has established a pan-India network.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
Saudi Telecom Company.

14. Saudi Telecom Company (STC)
Subscribers: 139 million
(December 2010)

Saudi Telecom Group offers landline, mobile and Internet services to over 142 million subscribers in 10 markets including Saudi Arabia.

Headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is the largest telecommunications company by market capitalisation, total revenue and number of employees in the Arab region.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A general view of the headquarters of South Africa's MTN Group in Johannesburg.

15. MTN Group (South Africa)
Subscribers: 137.47 million
(September 2010)

MTN Group is a South Africa-based multinational mobile telecommunications company, operating in 21 countries across Africa and the Middle East region.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A general view of the building of Etisalat Telecommunications company in Dubai.

16. Etisalat (United Arab Emirates)
Subscribers: 135 million
(February 2010)

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Etisalat is the largest operator in the Middle East and Africa regions.

It is second highest rated telecom company globally on the Fitch rating scale and fourth highest on S&P and Moodys' rating.

Etisalat operates in 18 countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
T-Mobile.

17. T-Mobile (Germany)
Subscribers: 128 million
(June 2011)

T-Mobile International is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany.

Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
Customers purchase the iPhone 4 shortly after the phone went on sale with the Verizon Wireless network in Boca Raton.

18. Verizon Wireless
Subscribers: 106.3 million
(Aug 2011)

Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The company is a joint venture of US telecommunications firm Verizon Communications and Vodafone.

In 2009, Verizon Wireless acquired Alltel Wireless in a deal valued at $28.1 billion.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
A woman speaks on the phone near an office of Russia's mobile phone operator MTS.

19. MTS (Russia)
Subscribers: 103.35 million
(Dec 2010)

Founded in 1993, MTS is the largest mobile operator in Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS).

In 2008, Vodafone announced a partnership deal with MTS, whereby Vodafone services would be available to MTS subscribers.

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World's 20 largest mobile operators

Last updated on: December 6, 2011 12:01 IST
AT&T Mobility.

20. AT&T Mobility
Subscribers: 100.7 million

AT&T Mobility is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T that provides wireless services to over 100 million subscribers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

AT&T Mobility is the second largest wireless telecommunications provider in the United States after Verizon Wireless.