Biggest telecom companies in the world
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Telecommunication is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, especially in the developing countries.
Let's take a look at some of the biggest telecom companies in the world.
NOTE: Courtesy, Wikipedia
China Mobile
Main market: China
Total subscribers (2011): 649.56 million
Global rank: 1
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Photographs: Denis Balibouse/Reuters
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Vodafone
Main market: United Kingdom
Total subscribers (2011): 439.601 million
Global rank: 2
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Photographs: Luke MacGregor/Reuters
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Telenor
Main market: Norway
Total subscribers (2011): 326 million
Global rank: 3
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Photographs: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters
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Airtel
Main market: India
Total subscribers (2011): 243.336 million
Global rank: 4
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Image: Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal walks during the launch ceremony for 4G services in Kolkata. A file photo
Photographs: Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters
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America Movil
Main market: Mexico
Total subscribers (2011): 236 million
Global rank: 5
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Photographs: Henry Romero/Reuters
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Telefonica
Main market: Spain
Total subscribers (2011): 231.87 million
Global rank: 6
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Photographs: Susana Vera/Reuters
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Orange
Main market: France
Total subscribers (2011): 217.3 million
Global rank: 7
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Photographs: Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters
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VimpelCom
Main market: Russia
Total subscribers (2011): 199 million
Global rank: 8
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Image: A view of Russia's second-largest mobile phone firm Vimpelcom's main office in Moscow.
Photographs: Viktor Korotayev/Reuters
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SingTel
Main market: Singapore
Total subscribers (2011): 146 million
Global rank: 9
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Photographs: Tim Chong/Reuters
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Axiata Group Berhad
Main market: Malaysia
Total subscribers (2011): 159.7 million
Global rank: 10
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Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters
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China Unicom
Main market: China
Total subscribers (2011): 169.7 million
Global rank: 11
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Photographs: David Gray/Reuters
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TeliaSonera
Main market: Sweden
Total subscribers (2011): 160 million
Global rank: 12
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Photographs: Bob Strong/Reuters
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Saudi Telecom Company
Main market: Saudi Arabia
Total subscribers (2010): 139 million
Global rank: 13
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Photographs: Fahad Shadeed/Reuters
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MTN Group
Main market: South Africa
Total subscribers (2010): 137.47 million
Global rank: 14
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Photographs: Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters
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Etisalat
Main market: United Arab Emirates
Total subscribers (2010): 135 million
Global rank: 15
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Image: A view of an Etisalat building in Dubai.
Photographs: Stringer/Reuters
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Reliance Communications
Main market: India
Total subscribers (2011): 144.78 million
Global rank: 16
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Photographs: Arko Datta/Reuters
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T-Mobile
Main market: Germany
Total subscribers (2011): 328.00 million
Global rank: 17
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Photographs: Michaela Rehle/Reuters
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Tele2
Main market: Sweden
Total subscribers (2012): 34.76 million
Global rank: 18
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Photographs: Luke MacGregor/Reuters
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Verizon Wireless
Main market: United States
Total subscribers: Not available
Global rank: 19
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Photographs: Brendan McDermid/Reuters
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MTS
Main market: Russia
Total subscribers (2011): 106.07 million
Global rank: 20
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Image: A man speaks on a mobile phone near an office of Russia's mobile phone operator MTS in Moscow.
Photographs: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters
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AT&T Mobility
Main market: United States
Total subscribers (2011): 100.7 million
Global rank: 21
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Photographs: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
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China Telecom
Main market: China
Total subscribers (2011): 94.1 million
Global rank: 22
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Photographs: David Gray/Reuters
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Telkomsel
Main market: Indonesia
Total subscribers (2011): 100 million
Global rank: 23
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Photographs: Crack Palinggi/Reuters
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Idea Cellular
Main market: India
Total subscribers (2011): 96.11 million
Global rank: 24
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Photographs: Arko Datta/Reuters
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BSNL
Main market: India
Total subscribers (2011): 95.14 million
Global rank: 25
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Photographs: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
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Tata Teleservices
Main market: India
Total subscribers (2011): 88.31 million
Global rank: 26
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Photographs: Adnan Abidi/Reuters
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Telecom Italia
Main market: Italy
Total subscribers (2011): 71.50 million
Global rank: 27
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Photographs: Stringer/Reuters
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Maxis Communications
Main market: Malaysia
Total subscribers (2011): 63.71 million
Global rank: 28
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Photographs: Zainal Abd Halim/Reuters
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