China’s fixed communications services market is expected to grow steadily through 2030, driven by strong demand for fiber broadband and continued network infrastructure upgrades. The market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.3%, increasing from USD 42.4 billion in 2025 to USD 47.6 billion in 2030. Fixed broadband services will remain the primary growth driver, offsetting continued declines in China’s fixed voice segment.
GlobalData’s China Fixed Communications Forecast (Q1 2026) estimates fixed voice services revenue will decline at a CAGR of 1.4% over the forecast period, as consumers continue shifting from traditional telephony to mobile and over-the-top (OTT) communication services. This transition is expected to put pressure on voice average revenue per user (ARPU).
In contrast, fixed broadband revenue is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 2.3% through 2030, supported by strong demand for fiber-to-the-home/building (FTTH/B) services, particularly premium plans that generate higher ARPU for operators.
Pradeepthi Kantipudi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, said:
Fiber will remain the leading broadband technology in terms of subscription share through the forecast period, driven by government support for expanding and improving fiber network infrastructure in the country. Fiber broadband currently dominates the fixed broadband market, and with continued momentum, the country is expected to see [a] fiber-only broadband market by the end of 2030.
China’s push to accelerate next-generation broadband infrastructure is also expected to support market growth. Ongoing upgrades include gigabit broadband expansion and 10G optical network deployments aimed at both residential and enterprise customers.
According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country had deployed more than 32 million 10G PON ports as of May 2026, enabling 10-gigabit broadband services for households.
Recent deployments reflect this ongoing investment. In February 2026, China Unicom and Huawei launched a 10G broadband network in Sunan County, Hebei Province, using 50G-PON technology to deliver speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
GlobalData expects China Mobile to lead the fixed broadband market by subscription share in 2025, followed by China Telecom and China Unicom. The firm forecasts China Mobile will maintain its market leadership through 2030, supported by its strong FTTH position and continued investment in gigabit broadband upgrades.
China Mobile has also increased investments in AI-driven network management and 10G PON deployments to improve service quality.
As service differentiation increasingly depends on network performance, reliability, and bundled digital services, operators that focus on customer experience while improving operational efficiency will be best positioned to capture the next phase of growth,” Kantipudi concluded.
