The number of MVNOs worldwide has grown by more than 60% over the past decade. This report looks at the shape of the MVNO market today and the next phase of growth.

Mobile connectivity is a cornerstone for building modern, inclusive and sustainable digital economies in Africa. It also enables transformative technologies such as AI to be integrated into the daily activities of individuals and businesses. Additionally, the mobile ecosystem has become a critical driver of economic growth, helping countries navigate structural challenges such as infrastructure gaps, energy constraints, affordability pressures and shifting demographics.

5G momentum continues to build in Africa. As of September 2025, 53 operators in 29 markets across the region had launched commercial 5G mobile services, while 25 African operators have launched 5G fixed wireless access commercial services. To capitalise on the promise of 5G, operators require enabling policy environments. This report highlights key policy imperatives to drive the development of 5G in Africa.

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on digital industries, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers four major developments: operators expanding their sovereign infrastructure and AI-driven offerings; the increasing use of 5G-Advanced to support applications in robotics; drones gaining prominence for public safety and emergency response in Europe; and the emergence of early forms of quantum-safe networking services.

The GSMA Intelligence Mobile Data Deck offers a fast track to all the essential data you need to know, with key mobile metrics in one easy-to-use deck of charts. The forecasts to 2030 include connections by region and technology generation, smartphone connections and adoption, and mobile operator revenue.

Across North America, almost 320 million people are connected to the mobile internet. Around 60% connect through 5G networks, underlining the speed at which the region is migrating to next-generation devices and services.

The final report in this series explores how affordability of entry-level, internet-enabled handsets and various data bundles have changed over time, and how affordability impacts different segments of the population.

Business challenges, technology priorities and buying behaviour vary significantly by industry, customer size, technology maturity and geography. Operators should more finely segment and prioritise specific customer segments and tailor go-to-market strategies and value propositions accordingly.

This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on consumer digital services, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications.

While AI rollouts focused on saving money still account for the bulk of deployments, there is a growing movement towards using AI with a revenue objective.