SHANGHAI, June 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — China Mobile hosted the Hand-in-Hand Executive Conference during MWC Shanghai 2025, themed “Hand-in-Hand, Igniting Innovation for the AI+ Future.” The conference brought together 131 operators from over 80 countries and regions, with a total of 410 participants, including executives and industry experts, to share insights and explore new opportunities in the AI+ era.
Launched by China Mobile in 2015, the Hand-in-Hand Program (hi-H Program or the Program) is a global partnership initiative which brings together various organizations from the telecom sector under the shared vision of providing seamless, borderless products and services worldwide. Guided by the mottos of openness, connection, and collaboration, the Program has received strong support from 28 members across the globe. Over the past decade, the hi-H Program has achieved three major milestones, driving global digital transformation:
Leveraging the power of partnership to drive transformation for the industry – China Mobile has joined forces with global partners to build a network that is Available, Affordable, and Accessible, elevated international roaming quality to address the satisfaction from customers.
Empowering the connectivity for everything – In collaboration with global partners, China Mobile has enabled IoT roaming services to span over 259 countries and regions, establishing foundational infrastructure for intelligent logistics, Internet of Vehicles, and other global use cases.
Driving intelligent transformation across industries worldwide – China Mobile has established a dedicated Video Ringback Tone zone in Asia-Pacific region and launched smart port projects in Europe and Latin America. By replicating best practices, China Mobile has bridged the digital divide, ensuring that the benefit of digitalization reaches all industries.
Mr. Wang Hua, Chairman of China Mobile International, highlighted that we are entering a new era of “Intelligent Digital Revolution,” with the telecom industry undergoing a profound transformation driven by AI. In response to new challenges—from the rapid advancement of AI to ongoing investment in 5G-A and 6G, and the integration of satellite and terrestrial networks, China Mobile remains committed to collaborating with global operators through the “Hand-in-Hand Program.” Together, we will explore scalable models, drive innovation, unlock new digital productivity, and lead the industry’s intelligent digital transformation.
The conference also featured keynote speeches from several international telecom leaders, each offering unique insights about the transformative potential of AI. Dr. Johannes Opitz, Vice President of Commercial Roaming & International Mobile Wholesale at Deutsche Telekom – T Wholesale, presented AI-Driven Roaming Security, highlighting AI’s role in reinforcing cross-border network protection and resilience. Mr. Kedar Gupte, Chief Mobility Business Officer at Bayobab, shared perspectives from the African market, focusing on how mobile-first strategies can enable broader access to AI technologies and foster a more inclusive digital future. Mr. Lee Kwang Yong, Vice President of Enterprise Products at Singtel Singapore, discussed Unlocking Enterprise Value and Creating New Revenue Pathways, illustrating how AI reshapes business models and accelerates enterprise transformation. Mr. Conor Carroll, Head of IoT Operations at Vodafone IoT UK, spoke on AI-Powered Global IoT Connectivity, showcasing the role of AI in enhancing operational intelligence and scaling IoT solutions worldwide.
China Mobile, alongside 12 esteemed partners—including Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Kazakhtelecom, Orange, Sparkle, Telefónica Global Solutions, Telstra, TRUE, Viettel, VimpelCom and Vodafone IoT —successfully held a hybrid ceremony, combining online and offline participation, to mark the upgrade of the hi-H Program. This initiative exemplifies the spirit of openness, connection, and collaboration among global telecom leaders.
At this pivotal moment, as 5G deployment and AI technologies experience explosive growth, China Mobile together with partners are advancing the hi-H Program to reshape global information infrastructure, redefine industry transformation, and reinvent operator collaborations, establishing a more open, intelligent, and cooperative ecosystem and enabling new value creation and maximizing the benefits of diverse partnerships. Through the hi-H Program, China Mobile will elevate ecosystem cooperation from simple resource connections to a model of integrated intelligence and multifaceted empowerment.
China Mobile and Global Partners Explore New Opportunities in the AI+ Era at Hand-in-Hand Executive Conference.
The successful convening of this event not only reflects on the ten-year journey of the hi-H Program but also delves into the paths and collaborative ecosystems for global operators in the AI era.
Looking ahead, China Mobile will deepen cooperation within the hi-H Program and invite more operator partners to join it. By innovating together, activating value through applications, sharing capabilities, and leveraging AI, China Mobile can drive growth and achieve mutual success in the digital era for a boundless future.
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About China Mobile International Limited
China Mobile International Limited (CMI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of China Mobile. In order to provide high quality services to meet the growing demand in the international market, China Mobile established CMI in December 2010, headquartered in Hong Kong, China. CMI has expanded its footprint in 39 countries and regions. Leveraging the strong support by China Mobile, CMI is a trusted partner that provides comprehensive international information services and solutions to enterprises, carriers and mobile users. please visit www.cmi.chinamobile.com
About Hand-in-Hand Program
Established in 2015 by China Mobile, the Hand-in-Hand Program (hi-H Program) is a global partnership initiative which brings together various organizations from across the telecom sector under the shared vision of providing seamless, borderless products and services worldwide. By gathering major players from different sectors together, hi-H Program combines strengths from across the industry to enhance each member’s ability to overcome challenges and adapt to industry changes.
