Bridging the digital divide: How a coalition is tackling smartphone affordability

The digital divide, a chasm that has long separated billions from the opportunities of the internet age, may soon begin to narrow.

This week, the GSM Association (GSMA) announced the formation of the "Handset Affordability Coalition," a pioneering alliance of mobile operators, device manufacturers, international organisations, and financial institutions. This global initiative aims to revolutionise access to affordable smartphones worldwide for low- and middle-income populations,...

12 July 2024 | 5G

GSMA Open Gateway: Unlocking mobile networks’ potential with APIs

In a new report, the GSMA has provided an update on its Open Gateway initiative first introduced in 2023.

Open Gateway leverages mobile networks' global reach by providing access to network capabilities through common application programming interfaces (APIs). One year on, the initiative boasts nearly 50 operator sign-ups—representing about two-thirds of the global mobile market share.

The initiative's success hinges on the deployment of its APIs. Currently, 17 APIs...

20 June 2024 | 5G

Automotive leads eSIM adoption for IoT as new trends emerge

The automotive industry is emerging as a frontrunner in the adoption of embedded SIM (eSIM) technology for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, according to a recent study by GSMA Intelligence.

As eSIM functionality becomes increasingly available in new connected vehicles, collaboration between operators, eSIM vendors, and auto manufacturers is on the rise. Additionally, regulations mandating emergency call (eCall) functionalities are further propelling eSIM deployments in the...

13 March 2024 | IoT

AI-RAN Alliance aims to integrate AI into mobile networks

A new alliance announced during MWC could reshape the future of mobile networks and telecommunications by integrating AI into radio access networks (RAN).

The AI-RAN Alliance brings together tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Samsung, along with major telecom companies including Ericsson, Nokia, SoftBank, and T-Mobile.

The alliance's goals are using AI to enhance mobile network efficiency, reduce power consumption, retrofit existing infrastructure, and...

26 February 2024 | 5G

GSMA Open Gateway unlocks mobile network capabilities for developers

A new collaboration between the world's leading mobile operators will accelerate innovation across industries from finance and retail to transportation, healthcare, and beyond. The GSMA Open Gateway initiative provides developers simplified access to core network capabilities via open application programming interfaces (APIs).

Initially focused on security, new APIs for number verification and SIM swap detection are being implemented by operator groups across 42 countries so far....

23 February 2024 | 5G

Mobile data traffic in Europe to almost triple within five years

The GSMA predicts that mobile data traffic in Europe will almost triple over the next five years, fueled by the expansion of 4G networks in central and eastern Europe and improvements in 5G coverage and capacity.

The analysis shows that 5G subscribers are interested in adding high-bandwidth services like gaming, extended reality, and video streaming, which will require continued network investments by operators expected to spend over €198 billion upgrading networks by...

23 November 2023 | 5G

GSMA: Smartphone ownership surpasses 50% yet digital divide persists

According to the GSMA’s annual State of Mobile Internet Connectivity Report 2023, over half of the world's population – approximately 4.3 billion people – now own smartphones.

This surge in smartphone ownership has significantly influenced the adoption of mobile internet services globally, with nearly 4 billion out of 4.6 billion mobile internet users accessing it via smartphones.

Despite this progress, the report highlights persistent challenges; especially...

12 October 2023 | Research

GSMA: 5G to fuel APAC mobile revolution by 2030

The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is poised to experience a dramatic shift in its mobile landscape as 5G technology rapidly gains momentum, according to the recently published Mobile Economy APAC 2023 report by the GSMA.

The report highlights the exponential growth of 5G adoption in the region, projecting that 5G connections will account for over two-fifths (41%) of mobile connections by 2030, a surge from just 4% in 2022.

Julian Gorman, Head of APAC at the GSMA, said:...

24 July 2023 | 5G

GSMA launches ‘climate resilience’ innovation fund

The GSMA has launched an innovation fund to support the creation and deployment of “climate resilience” solutions.

While everyone is affected by climate change, some populations are more vulnerable than others. The GSMA aims to support SMEs and startups that are building solutions that will help such communities anticipate, absorb, and/or adapt to climate-related shocks.

Max Cuvellier, Head of Mobile for Development at the GSMA, said:

“De-risking...

17 March 2023 | Hot Topics

30 countries to launch 5G services in 2023

New figures from mobile industry forecaster GSMA Intelligence show 5G connections are expected to double over the next two years, expedited by technological innovations and new 5G network deployments in more than 30 countries in 2023 alone.

Of the new networks to be deployed in 2023, it is expected that 15 will be 5G Standalone networks.

The forecasts from GSMA Intelligence point to a significant period of growth in terms of mobile subscribers and enterprise adoption....

6 March 2023 | 5G