The global telecom sector was among the first industries that felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020. Individuals started working from home, and there was an immediate need to handle excessive demand. This was when the telecom operators had to make quick changes in data handling to engage with the customers, meet the extreme surge in demand, and promote products and services that would prove priceless during the crisis.
Telecommunication is an important sector as it helps transmit valuable information in every nook and corner of the world. The telecom operators in this industry offer wireless and fixed-line services, internet-based services, and video communication.
Some of the top 20 telecom operators in the world in 2025 are mentioned below-
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1. Verizon
Verizon occupies the top spot in terms of brand value in the list of the top 20 telecom operators globally in 2025, even after showing a downward trend of 10.5%. Last year it was placed at 2nd position at a brand value of 71.15 billion U.S. dollars, but this year it has toppled other rival brands for the first position with a brand value of 63.69 billion U.S. dollars.
Verizon is an American origin conglomerate that offers telecommunication services like wireless network coverage to its customers. It boasts of data, text, and call performance along with network speed and reliability. The company posted its market cap at 244.1 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 131.87 billion U.S. dollars for 2019 December.
2. AT&T
AT&T lost its hold on the first position as it was down to 32.1%. It occupies the second spot in the list of the top 20 telecom operators globally with a brand value of 59.1 billion U.S. dollars, which is down from 87 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.
AT&T is an American service provider that offers wireless and wired data and voice, messaging services, and broadband internet. The multinational company posted its market cap at 211.5 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 181.19 billion U.S. dollars for 2019 December.
3. China Mobile
China Mobile has held its position at number 3rd in the list of the top 20 telecom operators in the world. It posted its brand value at 49.02 billion U.S. dollars, which was down 11.9% from last year’s 55.67 billion U.S. dollars.
The state-owned Chinese origin company is the top utilities and telecom company in China. It posted its market cap at 153.1 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 742.92 billion CNY for 2019 December.
4. Deutsche Telekom
Another telecommunication company that has been able to hold on to its position at 4th is Deutsch Telekom. It posted its brand value for the year 2020 at 39.95 billion U.S. dollars, down 13.6% from last year’s figure of 46.25 billion U.S. dollars.
The German-based Deutsche Telekom Company is associated with information technology and telecommunications services. It offers mobile and fixed-line services and internet access in places like the United States, Germany, and Eastern Europe. It posted its market cap and revenue(TTM) at 79.0 billion U.S. dollars and 89.7 billion U.S. dollars, respectively, in 2020
5. NTT Group
The Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corporation, also known as NTT Group, is placed in fifth position in the top 20 telecom operators list in the world. Its brand value has dropped 12.8% from 41.67 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 36.35 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
The Japanese origin company is associated with communication services, mobile network, and telecom sectors. It posted its market cap at 90.6 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 11879.8 billion JPY for 2019.
6. Xfinity
Xfinity was placed at 6th position in 2019 and has maintained its place. Its brand value has shown an upward trend of 6.4% and has risen to 28.82 billion U.S. dollars from last year’s figures of 27.09 billion U.S. dollars.
Xfinity is associated with the telecommunication industry and offers wireless, internet, and cable television services to its consumers.
7. China Telecom
China Telecom occupied the 9th position in terms of brand value in the year 2019 but has been placed at seventh position in the top 20 telecom operators in the world in 2020. The company has shown a downward trend of 2.8%, and its brand value has dropped from 20.63 billion U.S. dollars to 20.05 billion U.S. dollars
The state-owned Chinese origin company boasts of being one of the best telecom companies in the world. It posted its market cap at 28.2 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 375734 million CNY for 2019 December ending.
8. Spectrum
Spectrum has surpassed its expectations and shown an upward gain of 25.0%. Last year it was placed at 12th position at a brand value of 15.41 billion U.S. dollars, but it is at 8th place with a brand value of 19.26 billion U.S. dollars.
Spectrum is a connectivity provider that offers various related products and services to its customers.
9. Vodafone Group
Vodafone is placed at the ninth position in the top 20 telecom operators list, although it was at 7th position with a brand value of 21.32 billion U.S. dollars last year. The company has shown a downward graph of 10.3%, and its current brand value is 19.12 billion U.S. dollars
The UK-based Vodafone Group offers its customers data and voice communication as part of telecommunication services. It includes both mobile and fixed-line services along with IoT and cloud services. The company posted its market cap at 39.8 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 44974 million Euro for 2020 March ending.
10. Orange S.A
Orange S.A lost its hold at the 8th position as it was down 13.7% from last year. It currently occupies the 10th spot in the list of the top 20 telecom operators globally with a brand value of 18.13 billion U.S. dollars, which is down from 21.00 billion U.S. dollars in 2019.
Orange S.A is a French service provider associated with the mobile network, telecom, and communication services. The multinational company posted its market cap at 30.8 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 2740 million Euro for 2019 December ending.
11. Softbank
Softbank was placed at 10th position last year but is currently at 11th position in the top 20 telecom operators list in the world. Its brand value is at 16.17 billion U.S. dollars.
Softbank is a Japanese origin holding and investment company associated with several sectors like telecommunications, internet, etc. The conglomerate posted its market cap at 112.1 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 9602.2 billion JPY for the 2019 December end.
12. Au
From 11th au has shifted its position to 12th as it showed a downward trend of 11.1%. Its brand value in 2019 was 17.62 billion U.S. dollars, whereas in 2020 was 15.66 billion U.S. dollars.
Au is a Japanese origin subsidiary of KDDI that deals in wireless services. Launched in the year 2000, its products include EZweb, C-mail, and EZ-channel, etc.
13. Movistar
Movistar was in 13th position in the year 2019 and has maintained its place in the year 2020. Its brand value has shown a downward trend of 9.8% and has fallen from 10.60 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 9.60 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
Movistar is a Spanish company associated with the telecommunication industry and offers landline, internet, and pay television services to its consumers.
14. China Unicom
China Unicom is placed at 14th position in the list of the top telecom operators, and that is an up from its last year’s rank of 16th. Despite the position change, the company has shown a downward slope of 8.6% as its brand value has dropped from 10.23 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 9.35 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
The Hong-Kong based company posted its market cap at 25.2 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 290515 million CNY for 2019 December.
15. Sky
At number 15, Sky has entered the top 20 telecom operators list in the world. It has shown a downward slope of 10.8% as its brand value has fallen from 10.39 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 9.27 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
The British company Sky is associated with mass media. Its services include mobile, internet, satellite, video-on-demand, broadcasting, and broadband.
16. Etisalat
In these turbulent times, Etisalat showed an upward trend of 2.0% and entered the list of the top 20 telecom operators globally. Previously it was placed at 19th position at a brand value of 8.30 billion U.S. dollars, and currently, it is at 16th position with a brand value of 8.47 billion U.S. dollars.
Etisalat is a UAE based company that offers internet services, mobile telephony, and fixed-line and digital television.
17. Telstra Corporation
Telstra Corporation is placed at 17th position in the list of top telecom operators. It has shown a downward slope of 24%, and its brand value has decreased from last year’s figures of 10.60 billion U.S. dollars to 8.05 billion U.S. dollars in 2020.
The Australian company Telstra Corporation posted its market cap at 26.1 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 25.26 billion US AUD for 2019 June ending.
18. STC
STC or Saudi Telecom Company has shown a growth of 13.1% and entered the list of top 20 telecom operators in 2020 at 18th position, and this is an up from 24th of last year. In the year 2019, its brand value was 7.09 billion U.S. dollars, and in 2020 it is 8.02 billion U.S. dollars
As the name suggests, STC is a Saudi Arabia company that offers internet, landline, and mobile communication services. It posted its market cap at 51.4 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 54.36 billion SAR for 2019 December.
19. TIM
The Italian company TIM has dropped from 17th to 19th position in the top telecom operators list. With a downward trend of 16.3%, the company dropped from 8.70 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to 7.29 billion U.S. dollars in 2020
With headquarters in Naples, Milan, and Rome, TIM posted 17.87 billion Euro revenues in 2019. It offers DSL data services, mobile services, and telephony services to its consumers.
20. Bell
At 20th position is Bell, a company from Canada that is associated with the telecom industry and offers internet, digital television, radio broadcasting, telephony, mobile, and fixed-line services
Bell has shown a downward trend of 10.8%, and its brand value has dipped from 7.91 billion U.S. dollars to 7.05 billion U.S. dollars. It has posted its market cap at 39.3 billion U.S. dollars in August 2020 and annual revenues of 23.96 billion CAD for 2019 December ending.
The top 20 telecom operators in the world in 2020 were forearmed to handle any disruption in their sector. These operators were not limited to a particular country or a continent but belonged to various regions like the United States, Japan, China, Germany, France, etc.
They proved their resilience power at difficult times and managed to retain their grip on the telecommunication industry.
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