The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2022

As the world emerges from the pandemic and many social and economic activities adopt a ‘new normal’, digital connectivity will underpin innovative applications for consumers and new business models for enterprises. In addition, governments are considering ways to leverage digital connectivity to drive economic recovery and promote sustainable development.

In Asia Pacific, mobile connectivity remains the foremost form of internet connectivity and mobile broadband networks today cover around 96% of the region’s population. At the end of 2021, the number of mobile internet users in Asia Pacific exceeded 1.2 billion, reflecting a penetration rate of just under 45% of the population.

5G adoption is set to accelerate in Asia Pacific as the technology’s footprint expands across the region. 5G is now commercially available in 14 countries, with several others expected to come on board in the coming years. By 2025, there will be more than 400 million 5G connections in Asia Pacific, equivalent to just over 14% of total mobile connections. The figure will be much higher in developed Asia Pacific markets, where 4G adoption has begun to decline; however, the technology still has significant room to grow elsewhere in the region, particularly in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, mobile technologies and services continue to make a significant contribution to Asia Pacific’s economy, generating 5% of GDP in the region in 2021 – equivalent to around $770 billion of economic value added. The mobile ecosystem also supported approximately 8.8 million jobs in 2021 and made a substantial contribution to the funding of the public sector, with around $80 billion raised through taxation.