China Mobile Ltd., the country's biggest wireless operator, said Wednesday net profit rose 23 percent in 2006 as the company added millions of new customers in the country's heavily populated rural areas.

The company reported a net profit of 66.03 billion yuan (US$8.54 billion; euro6.42 billion) last year, up from 53.55 billion yuan in 2005. Revenue rose to 295.36 billion yuan (US$38.2 billion; euro28.73 billion) from 243.04 billion yuan in 2005, the company said.

China Mobile said its total number of subscribers rose by 21 percent to 301 million in 2006, compared to a 20.7 rise in 2005. The company said it set a new monthly record in February by adding 4.91 million customers. In January, the company signed up 4.86 million subscribers. Wang said its share of the Chinese market in 2006 rose to 68 percent, compared to 66 percent the previous year.

China Mobile is the second-biggest listed firm by market capitalization on Hong Kong's bourse after banking giant HSBC Holding PLC. The company planned to set aside 99.8 billion yuan (US$12.9 billion, euro9.7 billion) for capital expenditures this year, up from 87.0 billion yuan in 2006.

China Mobile recently announced it has agreed to buy 88.9 percent of shares in Paktel Ltd., Pakistan's fifth largest mobile carrier.

Source:佚名