(Yicai Global) Dec. 13 -- China Mobile, the world's largest mobile network operator, will diversify its supply and use of computing power as the number of core partners in its related industrial chain has exceeded 1,000.

The wireless carrier will bring variety to the supply, application, and service methods of computing power to promote efficient computer performance to become a social service as convenient as water or electricity, Li Huidi, deputy general manager of the Beijing-based firm, said during a conference yesterday.

China Mobile has established ultra-large data centers in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta region to harness more computers needed to run new technologies including the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. It has also joined hands with Shenzhen's Peng Cheng Laboratory and the Institute of Computing Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to build data center infrastructure.

China's two other big mobile phone operators, including China Unicom Group and China Telecommunications Group, have also stepped up their efforts to help companies pursue digital transformation involving the industrial internet, trade, healthcare, and logistics.

In the era of digitalization, telecom operators are moving from communication technology to internet technology, and then further toward data technology which means their roles are increasingly based on data, Chen Yanfen, head of the Shanghai Smart City Development Institute, told Yicai Global.

In the past, operators mainly provided companies with connectivity, internet broadband, and mobile phone services, Chen said, adding that in the digital era, they can gain a firm foothold and seize opportunities if they can cooperate with companies in production, marketing, and management.

China Mobile will increase its efforts in scientific and technological innovation to make breakthroughs in sixth-generation wireless networks, next-generation optical communication, and other cutting-edge technologies, Chairman Yang Jie said.

Looking ahead, China Mobile will expand the information service space and build new infrastructure for 5G, computing power and data middle platforms, Yang said, adding that the firm will also form new information service systems to widen application scenarios.

Editors: Shi Yi, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi