The Mobile Economy 2021
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The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the health and livelihoods of individuals and communities around the world. Mobile has been particularly instrumental during this period, keeping people connected and underpinning new services in response to the pandemic. This includes enabling people to work and learn remotely, supporting innovative health solutions and providing a platform for people to access digital financial services.
By the end of 2020, 5.2 billion people subscribed to mobile services. There will be nearly half a billion new subscribers by 2025, most of which will come from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2020, mobile technologies and services generated $4.4 trillion of economic value added globally. This figure will grow by $480 billion by 2025 to nearly $5 trillion as countries increasingly benefit from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by the increased take-up of mobile services. 5G is also expected to benefit all economic sectors of the global economy during this period.
The launch of commercial 5G services in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa over the last year means that the technology is now available in every region of the world. The pandemic has had little impact on 5G momentum; in some instances, it has even resulted in operators speeding up their network rollouts, with governments and operators looking to boost capacity at a time of increased demand. By the end of 2025, 5G will account for just over a fifth of total mobile connections. Meanwhile, 4G still has significant headroom for growth, especially in developing regions. Adoption of the technology is expected to peak at just under 60% by 2023 as 5G begins to gain traction in new markets.
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The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2025
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.
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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.
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MWC Shanghai is in the books for another year, having attracted 45,000 visitors (from 12,500 companies), along with 400 exhibitors and partner groups. The numbers were up from the 2024 event by 13% and 92% respectively. This analysis highlights the key takeaways and implications from meetings, summits and announcements at the event – and in particular, whether the progress seen in China can be mapped to other regions.
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