(Telecompaper) China Telecom reported revenues for the first nine months up 13.4 percent from the year before to CNY 238.2 billion. EBITDA soared 36.2 percent to CNY 74.7 billion, with the EBITDA margin up to 35.6 percent from 28.6 percent the year earlier. Net profit rose 17.1 percent to CNY 14.7 billion. Revenues from the sale of mobile terminals advanced 52.7 percent to CNY 28.10 million, with operating expenses also increasing as a result, up 35.5 percent from the year before. The total mobile customer base rose to 181.14 million lines at the end of the nine-months, from 152.62 million the year earlier. The figure includes 96.48 3G subscribers, up from last year's 59.72 million. The operator added 20.52 million mobile subscribers in the last quarter, with ARPU unchanged from the year before. The number of local access lines declined by 5.07 million, under pressure from new internet technology and intensified mobile substitution. The company's wireline broadband subscriber base reached 98.04 million, representing net additions at 7.92 million. China Telecom wants to continue its focus on expanding strategic 3G services and wireline broadband services, and creating a favourable regulatory regime for LTE.