Bharti Airtel taps into free-space optical communications to expand coverage and boost capacity

Mobile connectivity supports efforts to develop modern, inclusive and sustainable digital nations in Asia Pacific, facilitating the increasing integration of transformative technologies such as AI into daily activities for individuals and businesses. In 2024, the mobile sector accounted for 5.6% of GDP in Asia Pacific, contributing $950 billion in value. This is expected to rise to $1.4 trillion by 2030, equivalent to 6.6% of GDP, as the impacts of 5G technology become more widespread across local economies. To fully unlock this potential, fostering digital trust and ensuring the sustainability of the industry have become key priorities for stakeholders across the region's digital ecosystem. This means driving 5G monetisation, addressing the scam economy and mitigating cybersecurity threats, alongside bridging investment gaps, balancing innovation with regulations and implementing effective spectrum policies.

The latest consumer survey by GSMA Intelligence reveals that around one in seven mobile users changed their service provider over the previous 12 months. The main reasons for churn have stayed largely unchanged over the last five years, at the aggregate level, with value for money by far the top reason. However, variations exist between consumer segments in terms of the degree of churn and the drivers.

The entry of Amazon’s Kuiper represented the biggest competitive development in the satellite space in Q2 2025. This is set against the backdrop of 2025 being a key year for the commercialisation of telco-satellite partnerships.