China Mobile International Limited (CMI) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Mobile. As the global arm of China Mobile, CMI provides comprehensive international telecom services and solutions to global operators, carriers, mobile users, and digital companies.
Overview of China Mobile International
CMI was established in December 2010 in Hong Kong and became fully operational in 2011. It inherits China Mobile’s over 20 years of success in China since the company was founded in 1997. With the mission of “Connecting the World to Innovations,” CMI aims to provide customers with high-quality and professional services by leveraging innovative technologies and China Mobile’s expertise.
CMI has expanded its footprint to 50 countries and regions across 6 continents. Some key facts and figures about CMI:
- Offers services and solutions in three key areas: infrastructure services, digital services, and international voice services
- Owns and operates over 160 PoPs (Points of Presence) globally
- Manages over 120T backbone capacity globally
- Connects to over 230 operators globally
With its global infrastructure and capabilities, CMI serves over 2.7 billion global subscribers. The company has grown substantially since its establishment and generated $5.32 billion in revenue in 2020.
Core Business Areas
CMI has three main business areas:
Infrastructure Services
CMI provides telecom infrastructure services globally, including:
- International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) – provides point-to-point private line connectivity between countries
- Internet Protocol Virtual Private Network (IPVPN) – offers seamless, secure, and reliable network connectivity with added flexibility and scalability
- Internet Transit – provides high-speed internet access and routing
- Internet Access – offers reliable internet connectivity services
- Global Roaming – enables mobile users to connect seamlessly while travelling overseas
With its global network, CMI can meet international connectivity needs of customers from carriers to enterprises.
Digital Services
CMI provides customized digital solutions catered to the needs of different industry customers:
- Cloud Computing – offers cloud infrastructure, platform, security and more
- Internet of Things (IoT) – provides IoT architecture design to application services
- Big Data – helps enterprises effectively collect, store, manage and analyze data
- Information security – provides information security solutions and operation services
Leveraging capabilities of China Mobile, CMI can enable digital transformation for customers globally.
International Voice Services
CMI offers reliable, high-quality international voice services:
- Direct Routing – provides cost-efficient routing of international voice traffic
- Global Transit – offers reliable voice interconnections globally
- International termination – enables call termination into mobile and landline networks overseas
CMI competes with leading providers in providing international direct voice services globally.
Global Infrastructure
CMI has built extensive global infrastructure and connectivity to provide seamless coverage internationally:
- Owns 50+ overseas PoPs across 6 continents
- Operates 160+ PoPs globally through cooperation with partners
- Established CN2 international telecommunications network with:
- 120T+ network capacity
- 70+ submarine cable resources
- Seamless connections to 230+ global operators
- Access to infrastructure resources of China Mobile Group with:
- 2.2 million 4G base stations
- 6.5 million km fibre optic cables
- Top-ranked networks: 3G, 4G, 5G, optical backbone, IDC, IoT
With global coverage across key regions and access to China Mobile’s leadership in infrastructure, CMI can efficiently deliver services worldwide.
Partnerships and Collaborations
CMI has established extensive cooperation with telecom carriers, cloud service providers, enterprises, industry customers globally:
- 230+ global operator customers and partners
- Partnerships with leading technology providers: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud
- Joint innovations with industry partners on 5G, IoT, smart cities and more
- Collaborations with top Chinese enterprises going abroad: Huawei, ZTE, Alibaba, Tencent
Leveraging its global partner network, CMI can tailor solutions to customer needs and enable international growth.
International Accolades
CMI has received recognition for its capabilities, network infrastructure, solutions and services:
- Ranked as a Challenger in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Network Services, Global
- Awarded Best Global Wholesale Carrier at Capacity Global Carrier Awards
- Received MEF CE 2.0 certification for high-quality Carrier Ethernet services
- Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Telecom Service Provider Network Infrastructure 2020 Vendor Assessment
- Recognized by Global Carrier Awards, World Communication Awards, Capacity Awards
The global recognition underscores CMI’s competitiveness and leadership in international telecoms.
Financial Performance
CMI has achieved steady growth since commencing operations in 2011:
| Year | Revenue (USD billion) | YoY Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 5.32 | 5% |
| 2019 | 5.08 | 10% |
| 2018 | 4.60 | 12% |
| 2017 | 4.10 | 15% |
| 2016 | 3.56 | 20% |
Despite global headwinds, CMI has maintained steady growth through expanding service portfolio and customer base.
Management Team
CMI has a highly experienced leadership team driving its global expansion and business growth:
- Dr. Li Feng – Chairman and rotating CEO of CMI
- Mr. Dong Xin – CEO and Executive Director
- Mr. Li Yue – Co-CEO and Executive Director
- Mr. Xiong Xianghui – Chief Operating Officer
- Mr. Paul Berriman – Independent Non-executive Director
The management combines international business expertise with China Mobile’s successful leadership experience in China.
Strategic Roadmap
CMI is guided by a “CHOOSE” strategy focusing on six key directions:
- Cloud development
- High-quality development
- Open cooperation
- Overseas empowerment
- Smart innovations
- Employee growth
This strategy aligns with development trends and will strengthen CMI’s global competitiveness.
Conclusion
China Mobile International leverages the scale and capabilities of China Mobile to provide telecom infrastructure, digital solutions and international voice services globally. With extensive infrastructure and partnerships worldwide, CMI delivers high-quality services to meet international connectivity and digital transformation needs. CMI continues to grow its international footprint and solutions to better serve global customers.