Telecom giants launch AI token services
China Telecom and China Mobile launched AI token services, offering consumers and enterprises prepaid computing units for AI models, priced like mobile data plans. The move signals a shift for telecom giants toward AI infrastructure, leveraging government-backed cloud networks and nationwide connectivity to compete with startups.
China’s state-owned telecom carriers are entering the AI market by selling computing tokens to consumers and businesses, positioning themselves as AI service providers rather than just bandwidth suppliers. China Telecom introduced trial token plans on Sunday, with monthly packages starting at 9.9 yuan ($1.37) for 10 million tokens, including enterprise options of up to 150 million tokens for 39.9 yuan. The packages mirror mobile data plans but meter AI computation instead of internet traffic. China Mobile launched a universal token service in Shanghai, allowing users to access multiple AI platforms under one account via phone bills. Partnering with Tencent Holdings, it introduced an AI-native workspace platform offering 400,000 tokens for 1 yuan, with unified pricing across AI models. The carriers emphasize their advantage in nationwide infrastructure, government-backed cloud networks, and cybersecurity over AI startups competing on price. Telecom operators are embedding themselves into China’s AI infrastructure by building closed-loop ecosystems. China Mobile’s new Mobile Model Management Platform (MoMA) connects over 300 AI models, including DeepSeek, Qwen, Doubao, and GLM, while dynamically routing user requests to optimize costs and resource usage. The platform reportedly reduces per-token costs by over 30% and computing resource usage by more than 50%. Data from China’s National Data Administration shows daily token consumption surpassed 140 trillion in March, a 1,000-fold increase from January 2024 and 40% higher than year-end 2023. The surge reflects China’s AI industry’s rapid expansion beyond basic chat functions toward advanced decision-making and task automation. Analysts note the shift aligns with telecom operators’ strategy to monetize cloud expansion and infrastructure, rather than competing solely on token pricing.
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