The mobile phone subscribers in China has risen to more than 574 million by March, as more fixed-line users switched to mobile services on lower rates, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information.

The number was 27.3 million more than at the end of last year, the ministry said.

The nation's fixed-line operators lost 4.4 million subscribers in the first quarter, reducing the total fixed-line users to 361 million by the end of last month.

China's mobile phones users sent 174.9 billion text messages in the first quarter, up 28.8 percent from the same period last year.

The telecom industry reported revenue of 194.1 billion yuan (US$27.7 billion), 10.8 percent higher than a year ago.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2008)