CHINA'S post and telecommunications sector realized 523.47 billion yuan (US$69.7 billion) in business revenue in the first eight months of this year, up 11 percent on last year's same period, the Ministry of Information Industry said yesterday.

The total included 475.29 billion yuan for telecommunications business, up 10.7 percent, and 48.18 billion yuan for postal business, up 14.3 percent. From January to August, the number of mobile phone users amounted to 515.67 million nationwide, up 54.59 million on last year. Meanwhile, subscribers to broadband Internet services numbered 61.92 million.