China adds 47.3m 3G subscribers in H1

Customers select smart phones at a store in Yichang, Hubei province,?April 29, 2012. [Photo/Asianewsphoto]

BEIJING -- The number of people subscribing to third-generation mobile phone services in China increased by 47.33 million in the first six months this year, showed statistics released on Tuesday.

The total number of 3G subscribers reached 176 million by the end of June, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement on its website.

The number of Internet broadband users leapt 14.03 million to 164 million in the first half.

Main business revenues for China's telecommunication industry jumped 9.2 percent year-on-year to reach 517.53 billion yuan ($82.15 billion) in the January-June period, the MIIT said.