Under the deal, China Telecom will pay 11 billion yuan ($1.3bn) upfront, plus another 35 billion yuan over the next ten years.

The company will also take on 34 billion yuan of the regional operators' debt.

The acquisitions will more than double China Telecom's population coverage, and will add another 45 million customers to its current subscriber base.

They are also expected to lift China Telecom's full-year profits by about 20%.

Share boost

Investors welcomed the news, pushing China Telecom shares up 4.25% in Hong Kong.

Analysts said the rally also reflected relief that the company had not sold new shares to finance the takeover, which had been widely expected.

The six regional companies offer fixed-line telecoms services in the provinces of Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Sichuan, and in the city of Chongquing.

These six regions, which have lower than average telephone penetration rates, are thought to have strong future growth potential.

China Telecom currently serves some of the country's most prosperous areas, including the including Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong.