Mobile phone circularity: growing momentum, with financial incentives a driving force

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Mobile phone circularity: growing momentum, with financial incentives a driving force
£750
EX. VATThis report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
Contact usEnvironmental concerns are rising and improving device circularity is an important part of climate-change mitigation efforts. In this report we draw upon the latest GSMA consumer survey of more than 10,000 consumers in 26 countries to understand consumer behaviour with regard to mobile phone circularity, including repairability, reuse and recycling, refurbished devices and the importance of sustainability in mobile phone purchases. Operators are the leading mobile phone retailers in many markets globally and this puts them in an important position to advance the cause of mobile phone circularity, along with mobile phone OEMs.
Report details
Mobile phone circularity: growing momentum, with financial incentives a driving force
£750
EX. VATThis report is one of more than 140 published annually as part of the GSMA Intelligence data and research subscription, which is designed for organisations that require regular access to our insights. Contact our sales team for details.
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Learn moreRelated research
Going green: measuring the energy efficiency of mobile networks and towers
Sustained cost pressures and commitments to net zero have made energy efficiency a strategic priority for mobile operators, network infrastructure providers and tower companies. Working closely with a global set of mobile operators, GSMA Intelligence leveraged its independent position and analytical capabilities to launch its Energy Efficiency Analysis and Benchmarking project in 2020. The benchmark is based on real-world data inputs and aims to quantify network energy consumption, efficiency levels and fuel sources. For this edition, GSMA Intelligence invited infrastructure providers and tower companies to participate, sharing their data on energy efficiency.
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While there are several indicators and metrics in telecoms, the industry has traditionally lacked a global, comprehensive metric to measure environmental sustainability. In 2025, GSMA Intelligence developed the Green Network Index (GNI), which proposed a single figure to measure the overall environmental sustainability for telecoms networks and help establish a path to greener networks. The second edition of the Green Network Index has expanded to include 138 networks, benchmarking progress at the operator and country levels.
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The Green Network Index is a tool for tracking progress on sustainability among telcos and understanding what is driving or holding back progress. The index offers granular data to allow for country and regional comparisons. Alongside the flagship GNI report and index, GSMA Intelligence is releasing a series of company case studies to illustrate innovation in action. This case study highlights how Openserve has taken a leadership position by re-architecting its network energy model, using AI-driven optimisation and renewable energy integration to ensure resilience, affordability and sustainability.
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