BARCELONA, Spain, February 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

The GSMA announced that Wang Jianzhou, Executive Chairman of China Mobile, was honoured with the GSMA Chairman's Award in a special presentation at the Mobile World Congress today. This award, established in 1995, is the GSMA's most prestigious award and recognises outstanding personal contribution to the growth and development of mobile communications around the world.

In his presentation to Wang Jianzhou, GSMA Chairman Franco Bernabe stated that, "This award reflects Wang Jianzhou's track record in driving the introduction of many new and innovative business models, services and technologies, as well as corporate social responsibility initiatives. Aside from many of these impressive achievements, he has brought his personal engagement and passion to bear in building business partnerships throughout the world."

On receiving the award, Chairman Wang commented, "We are so privileged to live in an information world. The development of mobile and the Internet have accelerated communications around the Earth a thousand times faster than before. Even the longest distance feels so near, and mobility has changed people's lives. I am excited by the opportunities that our industry creates every day. I am honoured to be recognised by the GSMA with this award. China Mobile will maintain its efforts, and join hands with operators, vendors, application service providers as well as the GSMA and other international organisations, to create a better information society."

Over the last six years, China Mobile has witnessed a period of tremendous expansion, growing from 200 million subscribers in 2004 to nearly 600 million mobile customers, or approximately one-eighth of the total world market. China Mobile is today ranked as the world's number one operator, reporting the highest mobile subscriber connections and mobile revenues. China Mobile has been instrumental in driving innovation in areas such as its mobile applications store, mobile payments, mobileTV, and mLearning, while making breakthroughs in critical technology and research about the "Internet of Things", upgrading its core network to become fully IP-based and establishing an all IP network that is now the world's largest. China Mobile has promoted the international standardisation of TD-LTE, ensuring interoperability with the world's next-generation Mobile Broadband technology.

Chairman Wang has attached great importance to corporate social responsibility, exemplified by a series of programs in this area that have helped to narrow China's digital divide and enabled more people to access information through digital technology. As part of its programme to tackle the issue of climate change, China Mobile volunteered to reduce its average operating energy consumption per unit of telecommunications traffic by 20% in 2012 compared with 2008, a concrete contribution to energy saving and emissions reduction.

GSMA Chairman Bernabe added: "Chairman Wang has been a valuable and influential force in the industry, supporting many GSMA initiatives to catalyse new mobile market opportunities for the benefit of the industry. He has been, and continues to be a wonderful ambassador for the company, for our industry, and for China."

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile communications industry.

For more information, please visit Mobile World Live, the new online portal for the mobile communications industry, at http://www.mobileworldlive.com or the GSMA corporate website at http://www.gsmworld.com.

SOURCE GSMA