Mobile operators in China are currently competing for the attention of 150 million "high-end" subscribers as affluence rises across the country, a new study shows.

According to research from Morgan Stanley, the investment bank, there are 150 million wireless customers spending over CNY100 (USD15.86) per month in the rapidly-growing Asian market at present.

This compares with a total mobile phone user base of more than 950 million people, meaning the vast majority of existing consumers are in the lower segments of the revenue spectrum.