GSMA Intelligence constantly monitors mobile markets across the world to capture the most recent trends and share the latest available data. This analysis looks at the key revisions made to the mobile connection forecasts over the previous quarter and the drivers underpinning the changes.

Successful IoT deployment requires careful network selection, hardware planning, and ongoing connectivity management. Businesses must assess network coverage, roaming fees and SIM options while fostering strong relationships with IoT MVNOs or operators. Contingency plans are crucial, and so is access to reliable and regularly updated market intelligence as for IoT networks operation, network shutdown plans and hardware availability. This piece explores key factors shaping the availability of cellular IoT services and helps IoT adopters (both end-user industries and IoT device makers) to navigate the various options and make sense of latest market developments, such as AT&T’s NB-IoT exit and U-blox’s discontinuation of its cellular modules business.

This quarterly series leverages GSMA Intelligence data on network sunsets to identify the key trends and understand the future. The report outlines the latest developments in network sunsets. The data provided here covers network sunsets by year, technology and region. The report also spotlights the momentum in 2G/3G network sunsets in the context of total active 2G/3G networks globally.

In the final report of a four-part series, this edition of Telco AI: State of the Market covers one of the most important industry dynamics: AI for networks versus networks for AI.

The definitive guide to the biggest shifts shaping mobile, AI and telecoms. How will AI reshape telecoms? What’s next for 5G, satellites and enterprise networks?

As IoT adoption accelerates, operators face a growing challenge in delivering seamless, cost-effective and scalable connectivity. This report delves into the biggest pain points encountered by operators.

The competitive environment faced by operators means that staying ahead of the game on customer experience – understanding what people want before they know they want it – is key to success. Amdocs' Customer Experience Insights (CXI) solution provides a pertinent example for a case study.

Sustained cost pressures and commitments to net zero have made energy efficiency a strategic priority for telecoms operators; sustainability registered as a top network transformation priority for operators around the world in 2024. Partnering 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 fully anonymised, real-world data inputs, with a goal of quantifying network energy consumption, efficiency levels and fuel sources. With each successive year, operator participation in the benchmarking project has grown. The result is a unique, increasingly salient, network-level global data set on energy efficiency, alongside insights into sustainability trends, technologies and best practices.

The concept of a telco to tech-co transition is simple: move to a more agile and slim business model, and diversify to drive growth. However, the reality is more complex. This research provides a view on viable tech-co models and what they look like in practice.

While there are several indicators and metrics in the telecoms sector, there is not yet a comprehensive or holistic metric to measure environmental sustainability. Thus, GSMA Intelligence has developed the Green Network Index (GNI), which proposes a single figure that attempts to summarise overall environmental sustainability for networks and outline an evolutionary path. This recommended figure includes 10 elements, including resource and emission efficiency, renewable energy usage, network performance, availability and vertical enablement, among others.

Today, mobile connectivity is not only a means for people to communicate but is also an important tool for governments and other authorities to stimulate socioeconomic progress, support vulnerable people and build innovative solutions to enhance the well-being of society. Mobile technologies and services now generate around 5.8% of global GDP, a contribution that amounts to $6.5 trillion of economic value added. 5G, in particular, continues to benefit most sectors of the global economy. Mobile’s ability to deliver economic growth relies on spectrum. Today, the mobile ecosystem is already working with governments to plan spectrum for 6G, spectrum which will come into use around the 2030s.

Commercial drone deployment at scale would allow drones to seamlessly integrate into our daily activities and transform various industries, adding economic growth. However, achieving this requires a supportive regulatory framework. GSMA Intelligence assessed drone regulatory readiness and spectrum availability across 13 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. The readiness level of each country varies based on several indicators, including the availability of licensed mobile spectrum. The realisation of the drone opportunity will depend on the ability of countries to enable a supportive regulatory environment.

This quarterly review of global 5G developments provides a concise, tracker-style deliverable, presenting key metrics and forecasts in an easy-to-access and engaging way. GSMA Intelligence has aggregated the latest data on 5G connections, adoption and coverage, as well as information on network trials/launches and spectrum assignments.

Service and revenue diversification has become a strategic focus for major operators in recent years. GSMA Intelligence research, based on rigorous analysis of financial results, shows that major operators continue to make progress.

While mobile operators have been accused of being slow to adopt and fully exploit AI technologies, they have aggressively moved to seize AI’s potential over the past few years.