Analyzing the competitiveness and strategies of Chinese mobile network operators in the 5G era

With the biggest 5G market and largest 5G mobile network, China is leading 5G development worldwide. Chinese Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) play a significant role in China's 5G development, especially in the current stage of 5G commercialization. In addition, the Chinese government issued China Broadnet a 5G license, which may change the competitive landscape of MNOs. Based on in-depth interviews with experts and secondary data, this study first analyzes Chinese MNOs' competitiveness from three perspectives (i.e., the country-level, industry-level, and company-level). It then offers a summary of the four MNOs' strategies in developing 5G. This study could shed light on China's 5G development through the lens of MNOs and provide policy implications for developing 6G. © 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.