China's telecommunications sector invested 219 billion yuan (US$28 billion) in fixed assets in 2006, up 7.5 percent over the previous year, sources with the Ministry of Information Industry said on Tuesday.

The sector, including fixed-line telephone links, cell phone connections and internet services, raked in 648 billion yuan (US$83 billion) in revenue, up 12 percent, the sources added.

Last year, the number of mobile subscribers in China reached 461 million, up 68 million on 2005. There were 368 million fixed-line telephone users nationwide, up 17 million.

The sources said in 2006 users of broadband internet services numbered 52 million, up 14.5 million.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2007)