In this article, we will look at The 15 largest mobile companies in the world. To skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to see the The 5 largest mobile companies in the world.
To say that the cellular and telecommunications industry has evolved significantly in recent decades, and especially in the last decade, would be a huge understatement. Although certainly not the first smartphone, when the iPhone first launched in 2007, smartphones were considered the exception rather than the norm. 15 years later, smartphones have taken over the world, and estimates suggest that over 6 billion people own a smartphone, a number no one would have predicted in 2007.
With the rise of smartphones and global connectivity, the telecom industry has also grown. Although GPRS was the only form of internet available in the early days of cell phones, you’d be lucky to open Google after a few minutes of trying. Now, 5G is taking over the world and the telecom sector has focused on deploying more wireless and fiber to meet the growing demand from customers. There has also been an increased focus on multi-access edge computing, not to mention private cellular networks as the market continues to gain momentum. Although this market is still relatively new, competition is increasing even as the market continues to expand.
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Another factor that the telecommunications sector needs to consider is the growing risk of cyber security, which leaves customers vulnerable. This is especially true for 5G, which, while continuing to expand, brings with it a new set of problems and concerns about vulnerability to hackers. That’s one of the reasons why investors are flocking to cybersecurity stocks. Meanwhile, cell phone manufacturers have also begun producing 5G-compatible cell phones, though this is usually only true of the flagship series of most cell phone models.
According to Grand View Research, the global telecom industry was worth approximately $1.7 trillion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.4% from 2021 to 2028. The number of mobile subscribers is soaring and since the pandemic, this number has skyrocketed. With the pandemic confining most people to their homes and working from home rising to an unprecedented level, communication has mostly taken place via internet connections and mobile phones, as opposed to face-to-face meetings, resulting in additional profit for the world’s largest mobile companies (see 10 Best Dividend Telecom Stocks to Buy).
To determine the largest mobile companies in the world, we decided to consider the biggest names in the industry, based on their Fortune Global 500 ranking. We then considered the total revenue, total profit, total assets and number of employees for each company. We then assigned a weight of 40% to revenues and profit, while assigning a weight of 20% to total assets and the number of employees. Based on the criteria mentioned above, we have created complex rankings for the largest mobile companies in the world. We used several criteria instead of one by one, to arrive at a more accurate possible ranking. So let’s take a look at the companies that dominated the industry, starting with number 15:
15. Orange SA (NYSE:ORAN)
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 50,275
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 276
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 122,877
Total employees: 139,698
Orange SA (NYSE:ORAN) is a French multinational communications company. Among the services provided by Orange SA (NYSE:ORAN) you can find landline services, internet, IPTV and of course cellular. While initially known as France Télécom, Orange SA (NYSE:ORAN) rebranded to its current name in 2013.
14. KDDI
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 48,486
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 5,986
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 91,297
Total employees: 48,829
One of three Japanese companies on our list of the world’s largest cellular companies, one of KDDI’s greatest achievements is working with five other companies to build a 60Tbits/s undersea data cable that linked Japan to the United States. The cable began operating in 2016.
13. China United Network Communications
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 50,828
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 978
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 93,400
Total employees: 242,661
One of the three Chinese companies on the list, China United Network Communications is a state-owned telecom operator in China, providing various services including internet services, local calls, data communications, long distance and cellular networks.
12. Telephonics
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 46,439
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 9,621
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 124,175
Total employees: 104,150
One of the largest mobile companies in Europe, Telefónica is a Spanish company that boasts several major brands such as O2, Vivo and Movistar.
11. América Móvil, SAB de CV (NYSE: AMX)
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 49,702
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 9,490
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 82,588
Total employees: 181,205
América Móvil, SAB de CV (NYSE:AMX) may be listed in the United States, but it is incorporated in Mexico. With more than 277.4 million wireless subscribers worldwide, América Móvil, SAB de CV (NYSE:AMX) is easily among the largest mobile companies in the world.
10. Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR)
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 51,682
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 4,654
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 142,491
Total employees: 93,700
Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is an American telecommunications company. Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) is also considered the second largest cable provider in the US while Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) has over 26 million customers in 41 countries,
9. Softbank Group
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 55,384
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): -15,205
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 391,604
Total employees: 59,721
While Softbank is not a purely cellular company, telecommunications does form a central part of the group’s activities. The third largest wireless carrier in Japan, the SoftBank Group boasts more than 45 million subscribers. The company also manages the world’s largest technology-focused venture capital fund, with capital of over $100 billion, while investors include sovereign wealth funds from wealthy Middle Eastern countries.
8. Vodafone Group Limited Company Limited (NASDAQ:VOD)
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 52,932
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 2,425
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 170,479
Total employees: 96,941
Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:VOD) is a British telecommunications company and has operations and networks in at least 22 countries, while also operating partner networks in a further 48 countries. In addition, Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:VOD) also provides telecommunications and IT services to corporate customers in nearly 150 countries. While its revenue was down in 2021 compared to the previous year, the company did see an increase in net profit.
7. China Telecommunications
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 83,596
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 1,935
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 155,818
Total employees: 394,600
The second largest mobile operator in China, China Telecommunications is a state-owned telecommunications company that has three listed companies: China Communications Services Corporation Limited, China Telecom Corporation Limited and Bestone Holding Co. Limited. It was approved by the United States under an executive order by President Donald Trump that resulted in the company’s delisting in 2021. In October 2021, the US Federal Communications Commission revoked the company’s operating license and in 2022, designated its US subsidiary as a national security threat.
6. Deutsche Telekom
Total revenue (in millions of dollars): 128,631
Total earnings (in millions of dollars): 4,937
Total assets (in millions of dollars): 320,210
Total employees: 216,528
Deutsche Telekom is the largest mobile and telecommunications company in Europe. It is a German company, and operates several subsidiaries around the world, and owns one of the world’s largest cellular communication brands in T-Mobile. The total holdings held by the German government, directly or indirectly, was 31.9% in April 2020.
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Disclosure: None. The 15 largest mobile companies in the world are originally published on Insider Monkey.
