Gsma me report_2014_r2_web

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators
worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA
unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators with
more than 230 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem,
including handset makers, software companies, equipment
providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations
in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare,
media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces
industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress
and Mobile Asia Expo.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate
website at www.gsma.com
or Mobile World Live, the online portal for the mobile
communications industry, at www.mobileworldlive.com

This report is authored by GSMA Intelligence, the definitive
source of global mobile operator data, analysis and
forecasts; and a publisher of authoritative industry reports
and research. Our data covers every operator group,
network and MVNO in every country worldwide – from
Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is the most accurate and
complete set of industry metrics available, comprising tens
of millions of individual data points, updated daily. GSMA
Intelligence is relied on by leading operators, vendors,
regulators, financial institutions and third-party industry
players, to support strategic decision-making and longterm investment planning. The data is used as an industry
reference point and is frequently cited by the media and
by the industry itself. Our team of analysts and experts
produce regular thought-leading research reports across a
range of industry topics.
www.gsmaintelligence.com
info@gsmaintelligence.com

Contents

Executive Summary

2

1

Global Market Overview
1.1
Mobile has scaled dramatically
1.2
Accelerating higher speed network deployments driving data growth
1.3
Revenue trends
1.4
Revenue mix and outlook

8
9
12
21
30

2 An Industry Empowering People And Society
2.1
Mobile is a cornerstone of the global economy
2.2
Mobile at the heart of communication today – empowering people and society

3 Ensuring a Healthy and Prosperous Digital Future
3.1
The Digital Future
3.2
The Personal Data opportunity
3.3
Connected Living – linking the physical and digital worlds
3.4
Digital Commerce – placing mobile at the heart of future commerce
3.5
Network 2020: a key pillar of the digital future
3.6
The importance of industry and ecosystem collaboration

56
57
60
62
66
68
70

4 Policy measures to drive the growing economic and social benefits
of mobile services
4.1
Spectrum Measures for Mobile Evolution
4.2
The importance of best practice taxation
4.3
Sustaining effective competition and encouraging investment
4.4
Supporting innovation with a common position on Intellectual Property Rights
4.5
Avoiding unnecessary restrictions on network management

74
75
79
80
80
81

36
37
42

THE MOBILE ECONOMY 2014


Executive Summary
The mobile industry has scaled dramatically over the
last decade. At the end of 2003, there were a little over
one billion unique subscribers, meaning that just under
one in six people had subscribed to a mobile service. By
the end of 2013 this figure had increased to 3.4 billion
unique subscribers: equivalent to just under half of the
global population. Globally there were 6.9 billion SIM
connections at the end of 2013, with an average of 1.8
active SIM cards per unique subscriber*.
While subscriber and connections growth rates
are now slowing in developed markets, significant
untapped potential remains in developing markets.
These are forecast to add 880 million unique
subscribers by 2020. In developed markets, there
is an accelerating technology shift underway in
the global connection base, with an increasing
proportion of connections now on higher speed
3G and 4G networks (globally this proportion is set
rise from a third at the end of 2013 to two thirds by
2020). The number of commercially available LTE
networks is forecast to increase to more than 500
in 128 countries across the world over the next four
years, going from covering around a fifth of the
global population today to around half by 2017.
The number of mobile broadband connections has
grown tenfold from just over 200 million in 2008 to
well over two billion by 2013. Growth should remain
strong, driven by rising smartphone penetration,
with almost 4 billion mobile broadband connections
expected to be added globally in the period out to
2020.

Higher speed networks and more advanced devices
are enabling the growth of data hungry applications
such as video streaming, internet browsing and
file downloads. At a global level, the rate of growth
in data traffic is likely to far outstrip the growth in
mobile connections.
The transformative effect of mobile has been made
possible by significant capital investment by the
mobile operators over recent years, totalling over
US$ 1 trillion in the last six years. Investment has
been focused on both improving network coverage
and to facilitate the growth in mobile broadband
connections. Total investments by the operators
are expected to increase going forward in order to
accommodate the strong forecast growth in global
data traffic, totalling US$ 1.7 trillion out to 2020.

However, despite the success of the industry to date,
revenue growth for the mobile operators is expected
to slow (the GSMA forecasts revenue growth of
2.9% per annum out to 2020, against over 5% in
the previous five years). Operators across the globe
face an increasingly common set of challenges, in
particular rising competitive pressures and increased
regulatory intervention in many markets. This raises
questions over the sustainability of the current
business model for the mobile operators and their
ability to continue to fund the required levels of
network investment.
It is no surprise that mobile has become a
cornerstone of the global economy, both as an
industry in its own right and as an enabler of
opportunities in other sectors. The mobile industry
(both directly and indirectly) contributed around
3.6% of global gross domestic product (GDP) in
2013, equivalent to over US$ 2.4 trillion. This figure is
expected to increase to 5.1% of global GDP by 2020.
In addition, there are 10.5 million jobs supported
directly by the mobile ecosystem across the world,
while the mobile ecosystem contributed over
US$ 336 billion in public funding in 2013, even before
considering regulatory and spectrum fees.
The mobile industry has also played a crucial role
in the global economy as an innovation platform
for new services. Mobile networks provide unique
opportunities to reach new customers and to
monetise products and services. The industry has
enabled the emergence of a number of “innovation
hubs” across the world. These mobile innovation
ecosystems contribute to the empowerment of
individuals and societies not only through the
opportunities they create, but also through the
solutions and services they deliver.
Mobile connectivity has already transformed daily life
across the globe, and mobile is playing a particularly
strong role in socio-economic development in many

developing regions of the world. Mobile has brought
voice services and Internet access to the previously
unconnected, bridging the digital divide and
empowering communities.
Mobile has also benefited some of the most
disadvantaged communities through the provision
of mobile money services. This brings financial
services within the reach of previously unbanked and
underbanked populations, driving economic growth
and promoting financial inclusion. Empowering
women through mobile Internet access also has
more wide reaching benefits to broader societies.
The mobile industry is overcoming cost barriers
and developing innovative new solutions to
deploy networks in more remote and challenging
environments, especially in developing regions.
The industry is already competitive and significant
price reductions over recent years have helped to
drive strong subscriber growth across the world.
However, the industry faces a number of challenges
if it is to fulfil its growth potential, and regulators
and policymakers must be careful not to hinder this
with short-term policies that maximise near-term tax
revenues over the medium-term potential for growth
and development.
The mobile industry has the potential to deliver even
greater benefits to society in the future: with the
potential of connecting almost anything and anyone.
The world of 2020 will offer a range of life-enhancing
services powered by a vibrant mobile ecosystem
that connects the physical and digital worlds.
This convergence will unleash a new dimension of
services that improve the quality of consumers’ lives
and the productivity of enterprises. The benefits of
mobility will spread far beyond communications to
provide dramatic improvements in sectors such as
energy efficiency, security, health and education.

*GSMA Intelligence estimates that the total number of active SIM connections at end 2013 was 6.3 billion.

2

| Executive summary

Executive summary |

3


The GSMA has identified four key growth areas that
present both significant opportunities and benefits
for consumers. These areas also provide clear
opportunities for mobile operators to collaborate and,
in doing so, play an active role in delivering them.
Personal Data

Consumer access to a range of digital services could be
authenticated by a mobile operator provided digital identity
– linked to the phone number and secured via the SIM;

Digital Commerce

Mobile devices will be at the heart of digital commerce
ecosystem, with the potential to complete all types of
purchases on connected devices using digital wallets;

Connected Living

Intelligent networks connecting an ever greater range
of devices have the potential to revolutionise the lives of
customers and the productivity of many enterprises;


Delivering the digital future will require a more
collaborative approach between the mobile
operators themselves: a new focus on collaborative
action will bring greater scale to operator activities
in the global race to meet the needs of the customer
in the future. With revenue growth in the broader
mobile ecosystem expected to far outstrip that of
the operators (particularly in the area of content,
applications and services), there are significant
opportunities for mobile operators to generate
additional revenues and so lift growth rates beyond
current expectations.
At the same time, new entrants to the mobile
ecosystem should recognise the need to collaborate
with other players, particularly the network
operators. Online service providers are dependent
on mobile broadband networks that are deployed
and maintained by the mobile operators, which in
turn requires a sustainable financial model for the
operators that generate sufficient cash flows to meet
these ongoing investment needs.

Policymakers should ensure that the right conditions
are in place for the full transformational potential of
mobile services to be realised. As the mobile Internet
gathers momentum, policy change is required to
ensure that adequate investment and innovation
comes from all ecosystem players. Operators and
investors need stability and clarity in order to fund
the significant investment needed over the coming
years both to extend coverage to more remote areas
and to meet the growing demand for higher speed
connectivity.
The growth of internet access over mobile
broadband networks is dramatically increasing
spectrum demand and poses a significant,
disruptive, threat to the industry. Securing additional
long term harmonised spectrum is critical to realising
the potential of the digital future.
In summary, the mobile industry can only realise
this positive vision of the digital future through
collaboration between all players: between mobile
operators and the broader mobile ecosystem,
including new entrants such as online service
providers; as well as through collaboration with
governments, regulators and other industry
stakeholders.

Network 2020

Mobile networks will be at the heart of the all-IP mobile
broadband era, connecting devices and acting as the key
interface between the physical and digital worlds.

4

| Executive summary

Executive summary |

5

GLOBAL
MARKET
Mobile Broadband Growth

Global SIM Connections

6.9bn

9.2bn

2013 2020

4.2%
CAGR

Note: excludes M2M

2.2bn 5.9bn
CONNECTIONS

CONNECTIONS

2013 2020

15%

CAGR

Smartphones Installed Base

Connection Type

2G
2008

3622m

3G
2008

416m

4G
2008

1m

2020

3,163m
3,732m
2,284m

2,890m

2020

2017

1,457m
2013

237m

2020

2008

Note: excludes M2M

(Source Strategy Analytics)

Global Connection Speed
Unique Subscribers

3.4bn

2010

2013

4.3bn
2020

2020

3.5%
CAGR
2013 - 2020

LTE Networks

2013
2017

256 networks

In 97 Countries

>500 networks
In 128 Countries

2013

47%

56%

2017

54%

189 kbps

3,898 kbps

CAGR

Revenues
of the people on the planet

OPERATOR REVENUES

US$ 1.2tn

TOTAL
ECOSYSTEM
REVENUES

2013

US$ 1.4tn

2020

APPS, CONTENT AND ADVERTISING

US$ 205bn

US$ 2tn

US$ 2.9tn
2013

2013

US$ 576bn

Annual revenue growth 16%

2020

2020


1


Global market
overview

The mobile industry is continuing to see rapid growth
in connections, subscribers and data traffic, and is
playing a pivotal role in unlocking socio-economic
progress across the world. Many industry sectors are
increasingly digitising and mobilising their products
and services, reducing costs and providing compelling
new experiences for consumers.

1.1 Mobile has scaled dramatically
The mobile industry has scaled dramatically over the last decade. At the end of 2003, there were a little
over one billion unique subscribers globally, equivalent to just under one in six people. By the end of 2013
this figure had increased more than threefold to 3.4 billion, equivalent to a unique subscriber penetration
rate of 47%. By 2020, the majority of the world’s population (56%) is expected to have their own mobile
subscription. Multi-SIM ownership means that at the end of 2013 there was a total of 6.9 billion SIM
connections1, with an average of 1.8 active SIM cards per unique subscriber.
Source: GSMA Intelligence

Unique Mobile Subscribers
(m)

2,344
More advanced devices (such as smartphones
and tablets) operating on increasingly ubiquitous
mobile broadband networks are allowing users to
adopt an ever growing range of new services and
applications, which in turn is driving an explosion in
mobile data traffic. These transformations and new
services have been made possible thanks to the
significant investments that mobile operators have
been making to deliver the sustained growth and
ubiquity of mobile broadband connectivity.

2,566

2,799

3,029

3,225

3,398

3,583

3,745 3,890

4,334
4,134 4,236
4,023

North AMERICA
Middle East and
North Africa
LATIN AMERICA
EUROPE
Commonwealth of
Independent States

However, despite the success of the industry to
date, revenue growth for the mobile operators is
expected to slow over the coming years. Operators
across the globe face an increasingly common set of
challenges, in particular rising competitive pressures
and increased regulatory intervention in many
markets. This raises questions over the sustainability
of the current business model for the mobile
operators and their ability to continue to fund the
required levels of network investment.

Asia Pacific

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

7.7%

1.

| Global market overview

2020

3.5%

CAGR 2008-2013

8

Sub-saharan africa

CAGR 2013-2020

GSMA Intelligence estimates that the total number of active SIM connections at end 2013 was 6.3 billion

Global market overview |

9




Unique subscriber penetration by region

The developed market average unique subscriber
penetration figure is now 79%, which is around the
“demographic ceiling” at which subscriber growth
tends to stall (with many developed countries
already above this level). In contrast, unique
subscriber penetration on average in developing
markets is only 41%. This highlights the growth
potential for mobile services in developing regions,
with only four out of ten people in these countries
having subscribed to mobile services. However, there
are also challenges in many of these developing
markets, with incremental subscribers typically
generating low average revenues per user (“ARPUs”)
and coming increasingly from rural or remote areas,
raising issues for operators about how to bring
services to these lower income populations on a cost
effective basis.
Multiple SIM ownership is a feature of many markets
across the world, in both developed and developing
regions, driving a substantial differential between

84.0%

78.7%

70.8%

79.3%

60%
52.6%

54.8%

Global Mobile Connections

52.2%

42.2%

49.6%

(m, excluding M2M)

41.1%
32.7%

EUROPE

CIS

N AMERICA

SIM connections have grown globally at a Compound
Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.3% p.a. in the five
years since 2008, but are now forecast to grow at a
rate of 4.2% per annum for the period out to 2020,
less than half of the previous growth rate. This will
take the global penetration rate by 2020 to 119%,
with connection penetration passing through the
100% level before the end of 2014. The total number
of connections will grow by almost another 2.3 billion
by 2020: much of this growth in new connections
will come from developing markets; adding 2.1 billion
connections over the next seven years.


70%

67%

unique subscribers and SIM connections in many
markets. Global SIM penetration now stands at 95%,
and the figure is already over 124% on average in
developed markets. We are now seeing a slowdown
in the growth rate of connections across all regions
of the globe, linked to slower subscriber penetration
growth described previously.

LATIN AMERICA

MENA

Asia Pacific

SSA

4,039

4,665

5,369

6,029

6,465

6,886

7,385

7,800

9,179
8,723 8,960
8,153 8,457

North AMERICA
Middle East and
North Africa
LATIN AMERICA
EUROPE
Commonwealth of
Independent States

The global unique subscriber base has been growing at a rate of 7.3% per annum: growth
is forecast to continue, but at a slower rate of 3.5% out to 2020. However, this growth is far
from uniform across the regions of the world. Growth is now largely coming from developing
markets, which are forecast to add nearly 880 million subscribers over the next seven years,
compared to only 56 million new additions in developed markets over the same period.
Unique subscriber penetration rates vary significantly across regions. Europe has the highest
penetration rates, followed by North America and then the Commonwealth of Independent
States (“CIS”). Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest penetration rate at the end of 2013 (at just
under a third of the population), despite having seen the fastest subscriber growth of any
region over recent years.

Asia Pacific

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012


2013

11.3%
CAGR 2008-2013

10

Sub-saharan africa

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

4.2%
CAGR 2013-2017


11



1.2 Accelerating higher speed network
deployments driving data growth
There is an ongoing technology shift in the global
connection base, driven by improving coverage
of higher speed networks and the increased
affordability of more advanced handsets and
devices. While 2G remains the dominant technology
in terms of the number of connections, the
proportion has fallen from 90% of total connections
in 2008 to 67% by the end of 2013. The absolute
number of 2G connections fell for the first time in
2013, and this decline is likely to accelerate going
forward. By 2020, 2G connections will account
for only a third of the total connection base, with
3.2 billion 2G connections by that date excluding
machine-to-machine (“M2M”).

The declining proportion of 2G connections reflects
the strong growth in 3G and more recently 4G
connections. Existing 2G subscribers are migrating
to 3G and 4G connections in order to take advantage
of more advanced handsets with greater data
functionality, as well as the higher data speeds
offered by these networks. This is a particular feature
of developed markets, where consumers can afford
more advanced handsets and also operators tend to
subsidise handsets for subscribers on contract tariffs.


2G will remain the dominant technology in many lower
income countries for a number of years to come, in
contrast with the technology shift underway in the
developed region.
The developing region is now home to four in every
five connections worldwide, and just under 80% of
those mobile connections are 2G-only. In contrast,
the proportion of 2G-only connections in the
developed world had already declined to 30% by the
end of 2013.
While in part this reflects the relatively more limited
deployment of higher speed networks in developing
economies, it is also due to factors around the
affordability of more advanced handsets. Costconscious consumers in the developing world are
looking for the most affordable mobile tariffs and
devices, which is likely to extend the life cycle of

2G networks in these markets. The combination of
socio-economic and infrastructure challenges mean
that 2G connections will still account of the majority
of connections in developing markets until 2018.
The number of 3G connections globally has
increased dramatically in recent years, growing from
just over 600 million in 2009 to over two billion by
2013, accounting for a little under a third of the total
global connection base. The 3G base will continue
to grow in the future with another 1.7 billion 3G
connections forecast to be added by 2020.

Global connections by technology
(m, ex-M2M)

10,000
9,000

4G

8,000

We are also seeing an accelerating uptake of 4G
connections: these are set to increase from 3% of the
global total in 2013 to a quarter by 2020, by which
date there will be 2.3 billion 4G connections.

7,000
6,000

3G

5,000
4,000
3,000

2G

2,000
1,000

2008

12

2009


2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020


13


1.2.1 LTE network build out gaining pace
The increase in 4G connections reflects the
acceleration in LTE deployments in many countries
across the world. By the end of 2013 there were 256
LTE networks commercially available across almost
100 countries across the globe. This is forecast to
increase to more than 500 networks in 128 countries
across the world by 2017, covering half of the global
population by that date against only one in five today.

At a country level, the US, Japan and South Korea
account in aggregate for 80% of all global LTE
connections as of 2013. Going forward the focus will
shift increasingly towards Asia, with the region set to
account for almost half of all LTE connections by 2017,
with growth being led by China.


Global LTE Deployments

256
144

47

17
2010

2011

2012

L
TE

2013

Global LTE Connections and % of Total

13.4%

% of total
Connections


10%
7.1%
0%

7
2010

14

25
2011


92
2012

4.8%

813
557

203
2013

Connections
(million)

0%

1.1%

2.9%

1,134

357

2014

2015

2016

2017

The increase in 4G connections
reflects the acceleration in LTE
deployments in many countries
across the world.

500 Networks
in 128 countries
LTE networks are forecast to
increase to more than 500
networks in 128 countries across
the world by 2017.



Source: Strategy Analytics

1.2.2 Mobile broadband and smartphone
uptake accelerating

Smartphones installed base
(m)
Western Europe

Investment by operators in deploying higher speed
networks has driven strong growth in the number of
mobile broadband (“MBB”) connections over recent
years, from just over 200 million in 2008 to well over
two billion by 2013 (excluding M2M connections).
Mobile broadband is device agnostic and covers a
range of technologies including CDMA 2000; EV-DO;
WCDMA HSPA; TD SCDMA; WiMAX and LTE.
Growth should remain strong in the future, with
almost 4 billion MBB connections forecast to be
added in the period out to 2020. HSPA allows
operators to offer download speeds of over
14MBps, and HSPA+ offers significantly higher
speeds. Attractively priced propositions (and device
subsidies) in many countries mean that mobile
broadband offers consumers a viable substitute for
a fixed broadband connection, especially in those
markets where fixed broadband penetration is
relatively low or where

fixed broadband networks have not been fully
upgraded to offer higher data speeds. Operators
have also encouraged adoption at the lower end
of the market for price-conscious consumers, by
offering tailored data plans that trend towards
prepaid tariff structures.

223M

Africa Middle East

266M

1,030
364 624
215
2008

2009

2010

2011

1,530

2,163

2,774

3,332

3,886

4,964

Asia Pacific

1,643M

Central & Latin America

5,934

2,890
Africa Middle East

2,562
2,222

Central & Eastern Europe
Central & Latin America

1,850
1,457
Asia Pacific

1,031
687

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

58%

15%

CAGR 2008-2013

16

321M

2,890M

MBB connections

4,435

Central & Eastern Europe

Smartphones installed
BASE 2017


5,465

184M

North America

The growth in mobile broadband connections in
many regions of the globe is being driven by rising
smartphone penetration. According to data from
Ericsson, around 55% of all mobile phones sold
in the second quarter of 2013 were smartphones,
compared to 50% in the first quarter and only 30%
in 2012 as a whole. By the end of 2013, there were
just under 1.5 billion smartphones in use, of which
almost half were in Asia Pacific. Going forward, new
smartphone connections will largely come from the
Asia-Pacific region, with just under 900 million new
smartphones expected in the region in the period
out to 2017.

(m, ex M2M)

254M

2020

237

304

431
Western Europe

CAGR 2013-2020


North America
2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017


17



1.2.3 Data growth accelerating
More advanced devices (such as smartphones and
tablets) operating on increasingly ubiquitous higher
speed networks (both 3G and 4G) are allowing users
to adopt an ever growing range of new services
and applications. These new services are driving an
explosion in data traffic across the world. LTE users
tend to consume almost twice the amount of data
than non-LTE users; 1.5GB per user per month has

been recorded on average across selected operators
in developed markets2.
Higher speed networks are enabling the growth of
data hungry applications such as video streaming,
internet browsing and file downloads. Recent
data from Vodafone showed that in the quarter to
September 2013, 75% of the company’s data traffic in
Europe was already video and browsing.

Source: Vodafone

75% of data traffic is video and browsing
(% Europe Sep 2013)

This combination of factors points to ongoing strong
growth in data traffic volumes. At a global level, the
rate of growth in data traffic is likely to comfortably
outstrip the growth in mobile connections. Ericcson
stated that there was an 80% increase in global data
traffic between the third quarter of 2012 and the
third quarter of 20133.
Data growth will also be fuelled by the increasing
number of devices connected to mobile networks,
including M2M connections, which includes a range
of devices and objects including cars, medical
appliances and freight packages. M2M data traffic is
forecast to grow strongly as a result of the growth in
connections, driven by a wide range of applications
from smart utility meters to in-car telematics
services.

Global network speeds are increasing steadily
with the build out of 3G and more recently 4G
networks. Cisco estimate that the average global
network connection speed was 512kbps in 2012.
Cisco also forecast that the average connection
speed will increase at a compound annual growth
rate of almost 50% by 2017, taking the average
speed to over 3.9 Mbps. At a regional level, the
more developed regions such as Europe and North
America will continue to have the highest connection
speeds, though the more significant increase in
speeds will come from more developing regions
where historic connection speeds are lowest. The
extent of 4G (LTE) network deployments is a key
differentiator, one of the key reasons that North
America is expected to continue to see the highest
connection speeds throughout the forecast period.

Source: Cisco VNI 2013

Average global connection speed
(Kbps)

3,898

2%
3%
8%

12%

75%

SPEED REQUIRED FOR
HD VIDEO STREAMING

2,500kbps

Video & Browsing

2010

Voice Calling Over Internet
Sharing Content (files) between TWO devices
Other (VPN, gaming, IP messaging, etc.)
Downloading Files (eg. apps/music)

2. https://gsmaintelligence.com/analysis/2013/11/global-lte-network-forecasts-and-assumptions-201317/408/


4x

1,857

189

18

2,725

315
2011

526
2012

817
2013

1,233

2014

2015

2016

2017

54% CAGR
2010-2017

3. http://www.ericsson.com/res/docs/2013/ericsson-mobility-report-november-2013.pdf


19



1.2.4 Mobile operators investing to sustain
data growth
Mobile operators have invested more than
US$ 1 trillion over the last six years across the globe.
Investment has been driven by a range of factors:
to improve network coverage; to increase network
capacity to deal with both the growth in connections
and the even greater growth in data traffic; and to
deploy higher speed mobile broadband networks
(both 3G and more recently 4G).
While total capital expenditure (“capex”) levels for
the mobile operators waivered slightly in recent
years due to the impact of the global economic
crisis, investment levels have already recovered.
Indeed, total investment by the operators is

expected to increase going forward, driven
especially by the need to cope with the ongoing
explosive growth in global data traffic. For the
period out to 2020 operator capex is forecast to
exceed US$ 1.7 trillion, with capex forecast to grow
at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% per
annum over the period.
Asia Pacific tends to dominate the capex forecasts
given both the sheer number of connections and
the expectation for strong data traffic growth in the
region. All regions of the world are forecast to see
capex growth over the period, reflecting ongoing
data traffic growth.


1.3 Revenue Trends
However, and despite this backdrop of high investment
levels and the strong growth in data traffic, revenue
growth has been slowing for operators across the
globe. Growth over the last five years has been at a
still healthy rate of over 5% per annum, though this is
under half the rate in the preceding six years from the
year 2002. This is largely due to slowing subscriber and
connection growth already discussed, though revenues
have also been impacted by the recent global economic
slowdown. While revenue growth has recovered to some
degree since the financial crisis, it remains well below
historic levels.

Total Operator Capex
(US$ Bn)

220
185

241

247

250

252

261

266
LATIN AMERICA

193

N AMERICA
CIS
EUROPE
SSA
MENA

Intensifying competition has been a factor
impacting global revenue growth in recent years.
This is shown by the reduction in the average of the
Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (“HHI”)4 globally, which
has fallen by around 6 percentage points in the four
years to 20125. Whilst increased competition in part
reflects a reaction by operators to slowing growth,
in many countries it reflects increased regulatory
intervention. This includes a range of measures such
as the entry of new mobile operators as well as
other regulatory measures to increase competition
such as the introduction of mobile virtual network
operators (MVNOs) and number portability.

The impact of some of these regulatory actions are
discussed in more detail in the final section of this
report.
The GSMA segments all mobile markets across
the world based upon their technological maturity
(using smartphone and 3G penetration rates as
the basis for classification), with four segments
identified. The following section looks in more
detail at the factors that have impacted revenue
growth and market developments in each of the
four segments.

Asia Pacific

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

4.7% CAGR
2013-2020
4. HHI can be used to measure levels of competition in national mobile markets: the lower the index figure, the more competitive the market
5. https://gsmaintelligence.com/files/analysis-subscription/?file=131031-revenue-trends.pdf

20



21



Segment Trends


3G

1.3.1 Discoverer

89%

The Discoverer segment includes markets mainly in
Africa and Southern Asia, where unique subscriber
penetration still stands on average at only a third
of the population. Unique subscriber growth in
recent years has been very strong, with this segment
showing the highest growth rate of any segment at
15% over the last five years. However, with only one in
three people having subscribed to a mobile service,
there is clearly significant growth to come.
These markets are predominantly prepaid (contract
market share remains in the single digits) and low
ARPU, with approximately 90% of connections
still utilising 2G networks. Smartphones contribute
less than 10% of total connections, while non-voice
ARPU is less than 10% of total ARPU.
Mobile revenue growth among the Discoverer
segment is stabilising after an explosive growth rate
of 54% during the period 2002- 2006, with growth
slowing to 10% over the last five years. Increasing
penetration among some of the world’s poorest
countries will inevitably lead to declining ARPU,
and put pressure on revenue growth. However,
competition, intense price wars and mobile market
policies have also had a significant impact on recent
revenue growth and operator profitability in these
countries.
In markets where operator profitability is under
threat, device affordability, prepaid voice and data
plans and lower taxes are some of the key factors
that can help stimulate demand, while ensuring
operators do not pay over the odds for mobile

7%
Smartphone % of total
connections, 2012 average,
selected operators

spectrum will allow them to support lower price
points. As has been previously noted in other
markets—from Europe to India—mobile retail
prices will climb in the face of unrealistically high
spectrum prices and high taxation, slowing the pace
of mobile adoption6. This is particularly true when
it comes to mobile broadband services, where the
cost of deployment for operators and of devices/
usage for users is generally higher than for more
basic services.
While unique subscriber penetration rates are
relatively low and show the long term growth
potential for markets in this segment, there are also
challenges for operators. Operators need to extend
network coverage into more rural and remote
areas in a cost effective manner, into areas where
supporting infrastructure (such as electricity) is
often limited or absent. With new subscribers in
these areas generating relatively modest ARPUs,
there is a particular challenge for operators to
ensure that network deployments generate
adequate returns on investment.

2G

3%
Contract penetration,
% of population,
2012 average

Network technologies
% of total connections,
2012 average

91%
2.0%
30%
0.2%

9%

0%

2000

2012

Mobile Spending as % of GDP

2000

2012

Unique Subscriber Penetration
Mobile Revenue Annual Growth

6. https://gsmaintelligence.com/analysis/2013/07/bangladesh-asias-untapped-mobile-broadband-opportunity/394/

22



23




1.3.2 Fast Growers

23%

The Fast Grower segment includes the major
emerging markets of China, Brazil, Russia and South
Africa (markets that together already accounted for a
quarter of the world’s total subscribers at the end of
2013), as well as a number of other Eastern European,
Latin American and Asian countries. Unique
subscriber penetration growth among this segment
has advanced at a steady pace over the last 10 years,
reaching half of the population in 2013.
These markets are witnessing strong growth in 3G
adoption with around 30% of total connections
on 3G and a quarter of connections being
smartphones. While non-voice ARPU and contract
penetration are still relatively low, on average Fast
Grower markets have seen these metrics break into
double digits (as a percentage of the total).

77%
22%

17%

selected operators

% of population,
2012 average

2G

For most markets in this segment, the key
to unlocking greater revenue growth lies in
encouraging subscribers to adopt smartphones and
mobile data services, as voice-only growth models
will not be sustainable over the medium-term. A
number of operators in the region have notably
turned to handset subsidies to stimulate data
demand growth.

2012 average

sensitive demand in rural areas, while fighting high
churn rate in mature urban areas. These markets
still tend to be dominated by prepaid subscribers.
Both smartphone and mobile broadband uptake
in these markets is accelerating, while LTE
deployments are also gaining scale leading to
increasing data growth.

There is a common theme across many Fast
Grower segment countries of increased regulatory
intervention and rising competitive pressures. A
number of the major countries in the segment have
seen new entrants enter the market, with revenue
growth falling as a result of increased competition
over recent years.

3G

Mobile operators in Fast Grower markets are facing
a dual challenge of having to introduce more
affordable products and services to meet price-

1.9%

48%
30%

1.1%

11%

7%
2000

2012


2000

2012


24



25




1.3.3 Connected Players
This segment includes many markets in the throes of
recession, or with very minimal GDP growth, such as
those found in Europe. Mobile revenues for this segment
have continued to decline over the last four years, with
revenue declines forecast to continue albeit at a more
modest rate. Unique subscriber penetration levels for the
Connected Player segment are among the highest in the
world, reaching 80% in 2009, with very limited growth
since then.
A number of factors influence mobile revenue trends
within the Connected Player segment. As outlined
previously, unique subscriber penetration tends to stall
once it passes the 80% demographic ceiling, a situation
which is very evident in the Connected Player segment.
However, there are also a number of other factors
negatively impacting revenue growth.
One of the most often cited reasons for revenue
decline among the Connected Player segment has
been regulator-driven reductions in mobile termination
rates (“MTRs”). This is particularly true across Europe,
with many operators continuing to highlight their
performance excluding the impact of MTR reductions.
The average MTR across Europe more than halved
between 2010 and 2013. Roaming price caps are
estimated by the European Commission to have
reduced revenues by €15 billion by the end of 20127,
a major challenge to industry profitability at a time
when operators are seeing overall revenues decline.
The adverse macroeconomic environment has also
played a part in dragging top-line performance
downwards. Figures for Europe as a whole also mask
the significant variation in growth rates across the
region, with for example Greece seeing a 6.4% decline
in GDP in 2012 and Italy a 2.4% decline. It is these
southern European markets that have seen the greatest
macro pressures, which are also seeing the most
significant declines in mobile service revenues.

7.

26

4G

49%
39%
selected operators

51%

51%

% of population,
2012 average

3G

2012 average

2G

Across Europe, slow-to-negative GDP growth has
exacerbated the negative impact of rising competitive
pressure on top line revenues. From 2008 to 2012, the
average HHI across Europe fell by 6.8% indicating an
increase in competition and a decline in the market
power of dominant operators.
With rising smartphone penetration in Europe, online
messaging services such as Viber and WhatsApp
have seen exponential growth in Europe over the last
couple of years. However, the growth of these new
services, which has gone hand in hand with this rising
smartphone penetration, has created a dilemma for
the industry. The enormous growth in third party
applications is one of the key drivers of increasing
demand for mobile data services, and messaging
services are just one facet of this growth in the broader
mobile ecosystem.
The key challenge for operators in this segment is to
diversify the revenue base, given the ongoing decline
in traditional voice and data revenues. Operators in a
number of countries in Europe have been relatively
slow to launch LTE services, due to delays in allocating
lower frequency spectrum but also due to financial
pressures and falling profitability as a result of ongoing
revenue declines. This has hampered the ability of
operators to monetise data growth and to extend the
reach of mobile services into new services and adjacent
industries.

81%
46%

1.3%

1.1%
18%
-5%

2000

2012


2000

2012


“Digital Agenda: New price caps for mobile data roaming expected to save families over €200 each year and business travellers over €1000”; May 2013



27




1.3.4 Digital Pioneers
The Digital Pioneer segment includes the most
advanced telecom markets in the world, including
those in Northern America, Eastern Asia and the
Nordics. In contrast to the Connected Players
segment, mobile revenue growth for this segment
has remained in positive territory over the last four
years. While unique subscriber penetration rates for
the segment are approaching the 80% threshold, this
does not appear to be impacting revenue growth in
the same way as in the Connected Player segment.
Operators in Digital Pioneer markets have been
more successful than their Connected Player
counterparts at monetising data growth—notably
through the launch of LTE networks and compatible
bigger-screen devices—and this has helped to
boost operators’ top lines. At the end of 2013,
nearly a quarter of connections in North America
were 4G, while the comparable figure for Europe
was only 3%.
Digital Pioneers have some of the highest nonvoice ARPU levels worldwide, on average 25% of
the total. In addition, and in contrast to those in the

4G

selected operators

83%
% of population,
2012 average

3G

12%

51%

84%

2G

2012 average

Connected Players segment, many of these markets
are still experiencing ARPU growth. The challenge
for operators going forward is to further integrate
mobile into adjacent industries in order to continue
to diversify their revenue streams and to further
expand the mobile ecosystem. Competition in many
countries in this segment has been less intense
in recent years than for many Connected Player
markets, with regulation often more supportive,
though there is no guarantee that these more
benign conditions will continue.

78%
1.5%

1.1%

41%
5%

4%
2000

2012


2000

2012


28



29


1.4


1.4.1 Revenue outlook

Revenue mix and outlook

There are clear shifts occurring in the revenue composition
of mobile operators at a global level and across the different
segments. While revenues in the Discover segment are
primarily from traditional voice and data services, revenues
from these services begin to decline as markets mature
and operators move into the Fast Grower segment and
particularly the Connected Player segment. The challenge for
these operators is then to diversify revenue streams towards
new data and value added services, and in the process
monetise the explosive growth in data traffic.

At a global level, mobile operator total revenues are forecast
to grow by 2.9% per annum out to 2020, reaching a total of
over US$ 1.4 trillion.
Growth rates will vary across the regions and segments, with the fastest growth likely to
continue to come from the Discover segment, while the Connected Players are likely to see
ongoing revenue declines, albeit at a more modest pace than the declines in recent years.


Mobile operator total revenue forecasts
(US$ Bn)

Source: GSMA

Discoverer

Fast Growers

Connected Players

Digital Pioneers

1,127

1,186

1,239

1,288

1,331

1,367

1,398

1,424

1,445

Service Revenues

Data + VAS

Voice
2012

Text

30


2013

Discoverers

2014

2015

Fast Growers

2016

2017

2018

Connected Players

2019

2020

Digital Pioneers


31


Traditional revenues (voice and messaging) for
the mobile operators have been impacted by new
entrants to the mobile ecosystem, and particular
new online messaging services such as WhatsApp
and Skype. With smartphone penetration likely to
increase across all segments in the coming years, this
trend is likely to accelerate, increasing the pressure
on mobile operators to diversify their revenue
streams.
There are though clear opportunities for operators
to diversify and grow their revenues, with revenues
expected to grow at a faster rate in the broader
mobile ecosystem at over 5% per annum.

By far the fastest growth rates in the broader
ecosystem will come from the areas of applications,
content and advertising, where annual revenue
growth is expected to be 16% and to total
US$ 576 billion by 2020. This highlights the role of
the mobile networks as enablers in allowing a broad
and successful ecosystem to develop, based on
high speed, ubiquitous mobile networks. A number
of new players have already entered the mobile
ecosystem, while the power of mobile networks has
enabled the launch of new applications and services
in a range of adjacent industries including the retail,
finance and automotive industries.

There are significant opportunities for mobile operators to generate additional
revenues from these new applications and services, and by forging deeper links
with players in these adjacent industries.
These revenues are not captured in the existing forecasts, and could provide material
incremental revenues for the operators and help sustain industry profitability and
cash flows, helping place the industry on a more sustainable footing and so to help
fund the necessary network investments over the coming years.


Mobile ecosystem total revenue forecasts
(US$ Bn)

80 89

104

205

164

436

576

Network
Infrastructure

32


1,186

607

Components

2013

US$ 1,996 Bn
2020

US$ 2,897 Bn

1,445

Apps, Content
AND Advertising

Device

Operators

US$ 576Bn
By far the fastest growth rates in
the broader ecosystem will come
from the areas of applications,
content and advertising, where
annual revenue growth is
expected to be 16% and to total
US$ 576 billion by 2020.

Renewable Energy

An industry
empowering people
and society

US$ 200m PER ANNUM SAVINGS

70%

GDP
2013 Mobile Industry Impact

US$ 2.4tn
3.6%
GLOBAL
GDP 2013

2020

5.1%

Research shows that deploying green alternatives across Ghana, Cameroon,
Senegal and Nigeria could realise savings of $200m per annum and reduce
diesel consumption by over 70%

Mobile ecosystem directly contributed
around 1.3% of global GDP in 2013

US$ 870bn
Mobile operators
around 1%

Handset
manufacturers
around 0.1%

Infrastructure and
support services
around 0.1%

App Economy

Distributers/
retailers
around 0.1%

A recent report estimated
that there are already over

100bn

Mobile industry estimated to contribute
around 5.1% of global GDP in 2020

APP DOWNLOADS A YEAR

With the “app economy”
generating revenues of over

€10bn
per annum in Europe alone

Source: Vision Mobile

Jobs

Public Funding
Contribution to public funding (excluding
regulatory and spectrum fees)

10.5M JOBS

15.4M JOBS

2013

2020

Supported by mobile ecosystem

Mobile Money

2.5Bn

people in lower and
middle-income countries
are unbanked

US$ 336bn

1 Billion

2013

US$ 465bn

Have access to a mobile phone

The number of active mobile money accounts is growing
fast, and in June 2013, there were over 50 million active
mobile money users globally. An increasing number of
services are also reaching scale and 10 have over 1 million
active users

50Mn
ACTIVE MOBILE MONEY
USERS GLOBALLY

2013

2020
[1] HTTP://WWW.GSMA.COM/PUBLICPOLICY/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2012/11/GSMA-DELOITTE-IMPACT-MOBILE-TELEPHONY-ECONOMIC-GROWTH.PDF


2


An industry
empowering
people and
society

2.1 Mobile is a cornerstone of the
global economy
of “value add” (estimated as gross profit, or revenue
less direct cost of sales). The mobile operators made
the largest contribution to this figure, equivalent to
1% of global GDP. The contribution from content and
services in this review reflects only those that are
solely delivered by mobile services, and therefore
the figure may be smaller than in other studies that
include services delivered by other technologies.

The mobile industry is a cornerstone of the global
economy; this is evident both through the direct
impact of mobile industry ecosystem, and through
the indirect role that mobile technologies are playing
in adjacent industry sectors.
The mobile industry made a total contribution of
around 3.6% of global GDP in 2013. This includes a
direct contribution from the mobile ecosystem of
US$ 870 billion (1.3% of GDP), measured on the basis
Source: GSMA Intelligence; Orbis; Gartner; IE Market Research; BCG Analysis

The rapid spread of mobile technology has had a
profound socio-economic impact on the economies
of every country in the world. This impact is not
only deep but broad, spanning many aspects of
economic, political and social life, making a striking
contribution to everything from cross-sector
innovation to GDP growth.
The mobile ecosystem makes a significant direct
contribution to GDP as an industry in its own right,
whilst there is also indirect impact of the mobile
industry on the wider economy, both through raising
productivity for “highly mobile” workers as well as
in more informal areas such as small-holding based
agriculture and fisheries services in developing
markets. In 2013 the total contribution from the
mobile industry was equivalent to 3.6% of global
GDP, while the mobile ecosystem directly supported
10.5 million jobs and contributed US$ 336 billion to
public funding (even before considering regulatory
and spectrum fees).
Mobile has empowered previously disenfranchised
communities, bridging the digital divide by bringing
voice services and Internet access to the previously
unconnected. Access to the mobile Internet and
related services has been demonstrated to improve

36

| An industry empowering people and society

Mobile ecosystem direct contribution to GDP
2013 GDP impact (US$ Bn)

Infrastructure and
SuppORT Services

Mobile Network
operators

Handset
Manufacturers

Content and
services

672.4
1.3% GDP Contribution

education, health and agriculture productivity, as
well as create employment and entrepreneurial
opportunities, leading to improved quality of life for
individuals and their families.
The mobile industry is overcoming cost barriers
and developing innovative new solutions to
deploy networks in more remote and challenging
environments, particularly in developing regions. The
industry is already competitive and significant price
reductions over recent years have helped to drive
strong subscriber growth across the developing
world. However, the industry faces a number of
challenges if it is to fulfil its growth potential, and
regulators and policymakers must be careful not to
hinder this with short-term polices that maximise
near-term tax revenues over the medium-term
potential for growth and development.

Distributors and
Retailers

US$ 870B in value add
1.0%

34.8

82.6

0.1%

Suppliers of
infrastructure and
support services

0.1%

Mobile
network
operators

Wireless
handset device
manufacturers

49.4
0.1%

Distributors
and retailers
of mobile
communications

29.5
Mobile
content and
service app
providers

An industry empowering people and society |

37



The mobile industry’s economic contribution can be
measured in terms of both supply and demand-side
effects. The supply-side effects include the direct
contribution from the mobile operators, as well as
adjacent industries in the broader mobile ecosystem
(as discussed above). In addition, there is the indirect
impact of the mobile industry on the wider economy
(referred to as the “multiplier effect”). This demandside impact comes from the productivity gain from
workers using mobile technologies for their work.
The productivity gain at the global level is mainly
brought about by “highly mobile” workers (29%
of the world’s workforce are classified as highly
mobile8) and their use of mobile technology. In more

developing markets, there is also a productivity
uplift for small-holding based agricultural and
fisheries activities, where mobile services can bring
benefits such as access to pricing information;
online marketplaces and information to optimise
production
Finally, there is a 20% uplift effect from the mobile
ecosystem, which accounts for the broader range
of goods and services in the economy used by
the mobile ecosystem. The indirect factor and
productivity increases together added a further 2.3%
to global GDP, bringing the total GDP impact from
the mobile industry to US$ 2.4 trillion (3.6% of global
GDP).

Source: GSMA Intelligence; EIU; BCG Analysis

Total mobile industry contribution to global GDP
2013 GDP impact (US$ Bn)

1325
672

196
0.3%

174

2367

2.0%
3.6%

0.3%

The mobile ecosystem makes a significant
contribution to public funding: in 2013 this
contribution totalled US$ 336 billion.
As well as the contribution to GDP, the mobile
industry also makes an important contribution
to employment across the globe. There are
10.5 million jobs supported directly by the
mobile ecosystem across the globe, with the
largest share (3.8 million) from the mobile
operators. Among distributors and retailers
(2.6 million), only companies working mainly
with sale of mobile handset and services
are included. In addition, mobile is assumed
to have a substantial indirect employment
contribution through sale of top-ups and
accessories, which for some countries may

equate to five to 10 times the number of direct
jobs.
Furthermore, the mobile ecosystem makes
a significant contribution to public funding:
in 2013 this contribution totalled US$ 336
billion. Payments come from a range of
areas including VAT and other indirect taxes,
corporation taxes, social security and other
employment taxes, as well as income taxes.
These figures are even before considering
regulatory and licence fees, which totalled
over US$ 34 billion over the last three years in
Europe and the US alone.

Source: GSMA Intelligence; annual reports; EIU; BCG Analysis

Job contribution from mobile ecosystem

1.0%

Mobile
Operators

There are 10.5 million jobs supported directly
by the mobile ecosystem across the globe.

2013 Jobs (Million)
Related
industries

General
economy

Productivity
increase

Total impact

Mobile ecosystem

3.8

0.9

2.6

1.8

10.5

1.5
Infrastructure
& suppORT
serviceS

Network
operators

Handset
Distributors
manufacturers & retailers

Content
& services

Mobile
ecosystem

8. IDC Mobile Worker Population 2011-15

38



39



By 2020, the mobile industry’s overall contribution
is forecast to reach 5.1% of global GDP, whilst
generating US$ 465 billion in public funding and
directly contributing to over 15 million jobs. The
increase in the overall GDP contribution from the
mobile industry reflects a combination of factors

including ongoing mobile subscriber growth;
revenue growth in adjacent industry segments; and
the indirect impact of the mobile industry on the
wider economy (which is expected to increase as
the global connection base migrates increasingly to
mobile broadband9).

Source: GSMA Intelligence; Ovum; EIU; BCG Analysis

Mobile ecosystem forecast contribution to public funding
(US$ Bn, excluding regulatory and spectrum fees)

Source: GSMA Intelligence; annual reports; Factiva; BCG Analysis

Mobile ecosystem contribution to public funding
2013 Public funding (US$ Bn)

107.3
57.3

35.4

135.7

336

335.7

17%

2013

Corporate
tax

414

Employee
income
& social
security

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Source: GSMA Intelligence; Ovum; EIU; BCG Analysis

Mobile ecosystem direct contribution to employment forecasts

Total mobile contribution to GDP will increase further out to 2020

(M)

GDP contribution (US$ Bn)

2,367

3.6%

2,634

4.0%

4.2%

3,113

4.4%

3,328

4.6%

3,560

4.8%

3,803

4.9%

4,055

10.5

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

11.4

12.2

12.9

13.5

14.2

14.8

15.4

5.1%

2013
2013

2020

TOTAL

Source: GSMA Intelligence; annual reports; Factiva; BCG Analysis

2,882

465

100%

40%

Handset VAT
& customs

398

447

32%

11%

Service
VAT

359

379

430

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2020

9. GSMA /Deloitte study (2012): “What is the impact of mobile telephony on economic growth”

40



41


2.2


Mobile at the heart of communication
today – empowering people and society

Mobile is now at the heart of communication – from personal communication, mobile
commerce, to entertainment and professional productivity. Furthermore, mobile has become
an integral part of everyone’s lives. At work or at home, while traveling or looking for
information, we increasingly rely on mobile applications and services.

2.2.1 Driving digital inclusion in the
developing world
Mobile connectivity has transformed daily life
across the globe, but mobile is playing a particularly
strong role in socio-economic development in many
developing regions of the world. Affordable mobile
phones and the opportunities they usher in for the
poor, through increased access to communications
and information is already becoming one of the most
dramatic game-changing technologies the world has
ever seen.

In some of the least developed regions, such as parts
of Sub-Saharan Africa (“SSA”), there are much higher
levels of mobile access compared to other basic
services, such as electricity, sanitation and financial
services. For example, in Nigeria there are 56 million
people living without access to electricity, and 38
million without access to clean water. However,
most of the population have the potential to access
health, banking and other essential services through
mobile networks (with network coverage for some
operators at 90% of the population).

Mobile connectivity, customer data and distribution
networks are enabling an explosion of innovative
new products and services that can extend access
to these basic services to populations in rural and
remote areas. For example, Grundfos Lifelink’s
mobile-enabled solar-powered water pumps provide
safe drinking water to small communities in parts of
SSA thanks to mobile enabled remote monitoring
in the pump unit. Mobile technologies can widen
access to education, particularly in remote areas.
Mobile devices can act as a platform to provide
access to educational content, as well as helping to
address the shortage of teachers evident in many
developing world countries. The role of mobile

services in driving financial inclusion is examined in
more detail later in this section of the report.
Mobile is playing a crucial role in bridging the digital
divide, delivering internet access to previously
unconnected populations, especially in developing
markets. A recent survey by Analysys Mason
found that 87% of the respondents across Africa
indicated that mobile devices were the main means
through which they connected to the Internet10. This
highlights the importance of mobile, and the need
for the further deployment of higher speed mobile
broadband networks, to bring internet access and
mobile services to new sections of the population.

Mobile broadband can provide affordable service to
households at the bottom of the pyramid in several ways.

Reduced Prices
Firstly, driven by competition in the wireless market, mobile broadband prices, both
in personal computer connectivity (through USB modems) plans and in data plans for
smartphones, have been significantly reduced in recent years. Service tariffs in Latin
America have dropped between 7.3% for dongles and 52% for smartphones in the last
three years.

Source: GSMA Intelligence; IEA, World Bank

Pricing Flexibility

Access to basic services in Sub-Saharan Africa

Secondly, mobile broadband offers pricing flexibility that allows consumers to purchase
services based on what they can afford (by day, by download volume, or by type of
Internet service being accessed).

(%)

15-20%

Shared use of
mobile accesses

31%

26%

33%

31%

Mobile

Financial Services

electricity

Mobile Access To The Internet

Sanitation

Thirdly, mobile access to the Internet through smartphones overcomes other barriers
to broadband adoption at the bottom of the pyramid (such as, for example, the cost of
purchasing a personal computer, limited digital literacy, or lack of access to electricity).

10. http://www.analysysmason.com/Templates/Pages/KnowledgeCentreArticle1.aspx?id=13066

42



43


Increasing mobile internet access for underserved
communities in developing countries has been
demonstrated to deliver social and economic
impacts, such as employment and entrepreneurial
opportunities and overall improved productivity and
economic growth for populations and economies.
For example in India, commercially profitable mobile
advisory services have helped boost productivity
and income of smallholder farmers by up to 50%,


and in SSA, mobile-based solutions will be used to
save one million lives and deliver education to 180
million students11.
On an individual level, access to the Internet and
related services has been demonstrated to improve
education, health and agriculture productivity,
leading to improved quality of life for individuals and
their families.

The World Bank12 estimates that mobile broadband has a higher
positive economic impact than fixed line broadband particularly
in emerging markets, and found that a 10 per cent increase in
mobile broadband penetration drives a 1.4 per cent increase in
GDP for low-to-middle income countries.
On a broader population level, access to the Internet
has been found to impact the economic growth of
a country overall—increasing GDP, creating more
jobs and reducing poverty—all of which help fuel a
virtuous circle that includes improved infrastructure
and services and increased internet access and
usage.
Further, empowering women through mobile
internet access also has more wide reaching
benefits to broader societies. Women have
been found to play a key role in the social and

economic development of countries as they
are often responsible for the health, education,
economic stability and wellbeing of their families
and communities. The Food and Agricultural
Organisation for example reported that 80
per cent of the food in many low and middleincome countries is cultivated by women and
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (“OECD”) reported that up to 90 per
cent of women’s income is directed to their families
and communities13.

2.2.1.1 Realising the further growth potential of
mobile in developing regions
The mobile industry is overcoming cost barriers and developing innovative new solutions
to deploy networks in more remote and challenging environments, especially in developing
regions. The industry is already competitive and significant price reductions over recent years
have helped to drive strong subscriber growth across the region. However, the industry faces a
number of challenges if it is to fulfil its growth potential, and regulators and policymakers must
be careful not to hinder this with short-term polices that maximise near-term tax revenues over
medium-term potential for growth and development.

There are several challenges to be addressed if the
medium-term potential of the mobile sector is to be realised:

The first challenge is the need to improve the affordability
on mobile services, especially when considering the low income
levels in many markets and especially in those segments of the
population who have still to gain access to mobile;

The second of these is the need to improve the business case
for further mobile network build outs; a particular challenge given
low population densities in developing regions which mean that
most of the new subscriber growth will come from rural (and
increasingly remote) areas;

The third challenge is to provide the right conditions for the
uptake of mobile broadband and more advanced handsets and
devices in the region.

11. GSMA: The rise of connected devices will drive mobile operator data revenues past voice revenues globally by 2018
12. The World Bank
13. GSMA mWomen: Women & Mobile: A Global Opportunity, 2010

44



45



Prices for mobile services have fallen substantially
over recent years, driven by a range of factors
including increasing competition in a number of
markets, falling equipment prices (both in terms
of handsets and for mobile networks), as well
as growing scale for the operators. The mobile
operators themselves have played an important
role with ongoing investments to improve network
coverage as well as to introduce new service
offerings that can attract lower income subscribers.
The first key challenge for operators in their efforts
to further deepen mobile penetration rates is to
improve the affordability of services. This will bring
mobile services to a broader range of the population,
especially in the developing world. Handset device
prices continue to fall, both for feature phones as
well as smartphones, which is a key factor in bringing
mobile services to lower income segments. There is
an important role to play for regulators and other

government agencies in further improving the
affordability and reach of mobile services. Taxes on
mobile devices or usage will further hinder efforts to
improve the affordability of mobile services across
many developing regions.
The second key challenge to realising the growth
potential of mobile in developing regions lies in
improving network coverage, especially in more
remote and rural parts. Future subscriber growth
will increasingly come from rural areas, where
network coverage is typically poor or indeed often
non-existent. For example, the lack of electricity
infrastructure and low road density has negatively
affected network coverage expansion in several
African countries, with minimal levels of urbanisation
corresponding directly to low subscriber penetration
figures (see the chart below).


In many developing regions, an increasing proportion
of incremental network coverage is likely to involve
off-grid base stations, opening the potential for a
range of alternative solutions including solar power
(although these accounted for only 5% of the off-grid
sites at the end of 2012) and other “green” solutions
including wind, water, biomass and fuel cells.

US$ 200M

Research shows that deploying green alternatives
across Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal and Nigeria could
realise savings of US$ 200 million per annum and
reduce diesel consumption by over 70%14.

Mobile adoption versus rural population
100%

Active subscriber penetraiton

GERMANY
80%

UK

Commercially driven network sharing deals are an
increasing feature of the mobile landscape in many
developing regions, such as in SSA. A number of
operators in the region are sharing passive elements
of their networks, with several independent tower
companies offering their services to operators
across SSA. These deals can reduce both capex and
operating costs for the operators.

60%

IVORY COAST
CONGO

40%

The third challenge is to help realise the potential
of mobile broadband. The lack of fixed line
infrastructure in many developing regions means
that mobile will play a crucial role in bringing internet
access to the broader population. In addition, the
role of 2G networks and feature phones should not
be overlooked, as issues around both smartphone
affordability and network coverage mean that

GUINEA
SUDAN
20%

ETHIOPIA

Democratic Republic of Congo
SOUTH SUDAN

0%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

many users are accessing the Internet on these
devices and over lower speed networks. However,
many countries in the developing world are only
at the first stages of mobile broadband adoption,
meaning that the full range of economic and social
benefits that this can bring to the region have yet
to be fully realised. The introduction of mobile
broadband networks is expected to positively impact
a country’s socio-economic development. According
to a Deloitte/GSMA study15, for a given level of total
mobile penetration, a 10% substitution from 2G to
3G penetration increases GDP per capita growth by
0.15%.

90%

Population in rural areas

14. http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/GPM-Bi-annual-Report_July13.pdf
15. http://www.gsma.com/publicpolicy/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/gsma-deloitte-impact-mobile-telephony-economic-growth.pdf

46



47



2.2.2 The Role of Smart Cities
Some developing regions have particularly high levels of
urbanisation. For example, urbanisation rates in a number
of Latin America countries average 79% for the region
as a whole16, ahead of Europe and only just behind North
America. Latin America has four out of the 15 largest urban
conglomerates in the world: Mexico City (ranked 3rd), Sao
Paulo (6th), Buenos Aires (12th) and Rio de Janeiro (14th). The
region is expected to have 585 million urban citizens by
2030. The issue of managing this rapid urban growth and
moving to a more sustainable development path is one of
the key challenges of the 21st century.

2.2.3 Mobile enabling innovation across
the world
The mobile industry has played a crucial
role in the global economy as an innovation
platform for new services. Mobile operators
provide unique opportunities to reach new
customers (through mobile connectivity and
operators’ trusted distribution networks) and
to monetise products and services. There

has been an accelerating rate of new service
launches in developing regions over recent
years. While the health sector still accounts for
the majority of services overall, recent growth
has been driven by financial services, learning
and entrepreneurship/employment.


Timeline of mobile enabled product launches in developing markets
Note: figures based only on mobile-enabled products and services in developing
world tracked by GSMA (including those merged/closed)

1,329
In the developing world context, the primary
challenge for cities is typically over-congestion
(both urban density and traffic volume) caused by
the unprecedented rapidity of urbanisation in the
past 10-20 years. A further challenge is to develop
the educational, transport and communication
infrastructure to incubate talent and to attract
industry and commerce.
In some developing regions, urban growth has often
translated into an increasing number of people
living in informal settlements, increasing poverty
and inequality. Many developing market cities are
characterized by insufficient basic infrastructure,
particularly in low-income areas, where mobile

services could provide cost effective solutions and
provide the basis for more sustainable urban growth.
City administrations across the world are looking
to harness information and communications
technologies (“ICT”), including mobile connectivity,
to help address the many challenges of urbanisation,
such as traffic congestion, waste disposal and rising
energy usage. ICT can be used to deliver “smart city”
initiatives that improve citizens’ quality of life, make
public services more efficient, generate new sources
of revenue and fuel economic growth.

991
682

74
74

Pre 2005

Other

309

443

Cumulative
launches

111

149

195

282

338

239
161

87
37

38

2005

2006

mAgri

46
2007

2008

Mobile Money

2009

2010

2011

2012

mHealth

16. http://esa.un.org/unup/pdf/WUP2011_Highlights.pdf

48



49



Source: iHUB

Mobile platforms, advanced devices and the growing
range of new applications are driving productivity,
growth and jobs.
Mobile platforms and the growing number of app stores and innovation hubs across the world have
lowered entry barriers for developers. A recent report estimated that there are already over 100 billion app
downloads a year, with the “App Economy” in Europe alone generating revenues of over €10 billion per
annum17.

The industry has enabled the emergence of a number
of “innovation hubs” across the world, in both
developed and developing markets.
These are increasingly active communities of start-ups, hubs, incubators and accelerators, investors and
business angels, academic institutions and government ministries. An increasing number of innovative
solutions, such as those that improve access to energy and water, are emerging along with the development
of mobile innovation ecosystems in the developing world.

As mobile technology has developed into a platform
for digital services, many industry sectors have a role
in creating and delivering mobile enabled services.

Innovation hubs across SSA

Northern Africa

Western Africa

Eastern Africa

Southern Africa

WikiStartp.tn
Flat6Labs.com
PlugAndPlayEgypt.com
Tahrir2.com

JokkoLabs.net
iLabLiberia.org
MobileWebGhana.org
mFriday.org
CCHubNigeria.com
WennovationHub.com
ActivSpaces.com

IceAddis.com
iHub.co.ke
HiveColab.org
TheHubKampala.com
kLab.rw
Teknohama.or.tz

mLab.co.za
Google.co.za/Umbono
BongoHive.com
i-Hub.mg

Senegal

Tunisia

Egypt

Ethiopia

Kenya

Dakar
jokkolabs

Tunis
wiki start up

Giza
Flat6Labs

Addis Abeba
Iceaddis

Nairobi
iHub
Nailab

Cairo
PlugAndPlayEgypt.com
Alexandria
Tahrir2

Rwanda

Tanzania

Madagascar

Zambia

Kampala
HiveColab 2010
@TheHubKampala

Kigali
kLab 2012

Dar es Salam
DTBi 2011
Kinu

Antananarivo
Hub 2011

Lusaka
BongoHive 2011

South Africa

Cameroon

Nigeria

Ghana

Liberia

Cape Town
Umbono

In Kenya for example, various stakeholders from private and public sectors are collaborating to support
the development of a mobile innovation ecosystem. “m:Lab” in Nairobi, which is a centre for mobile
entrepreneurship developed by The World Bank’s infoDev group, is one example. m:Lab provides incubation,
developer training, application testing, and ecosystem building, with support from The World Bank,
Qualcomm, Samsung, Nokia, Microsoft, and others. These mobile innovation ecosystems contribute to the
empowerment of individuals and societies not only through the opportunities they create, but also through
the solutions and services they deliver.

Uganda

Douala
ActivSpaces

Lagos
Co-CreationHub Nigeria
We”innovation”Hub

Accra
Mfriday
Mobile Web Ghana
Mest

Monrovia
iLabLiberia 2011

Pretoria
mlab 2011

17. http://www.visionmobile.com/product/the-european-app-economy/

50



51



2.2.4 Empowerment through financial
inclusion
Access to financial services can help low-income
households manage day-to-day risks and provide
a safety net to insulate them from financial shocks
(e.g. a death in the family, illness, job loss, or natural
disasters). However, an estimated 2.5 billion people in
lower and middle-income countries are unbanked18.
The traditional bricks-and-mortar model adopted by
most banking and payments providers struggles to
serve the poor, and these people are forced to rely
instead on informal financial services that are usually
unsafe, inconvenient, and expensive.

However, among the unbanked population, more
than one billion people have access to a mobile
phone19. The mobile channel can be utilised
to provide access to financial services such as
payments, transfers, insurance, savings, and credit,
in ways that are more cost-efficient, safe and
convenient than existing alternatives. In many
developing countries, mobile network operators
have unique assets and incentives to deliver these
services in a sustainable and scalable way: trusted
brands, widespread distribution, and secure channel
access.

Mobile money is now available in most developing
and emerging markets. At the end of 2013, there
were 219 mobile money services in 84 countries.
While the majority of services remain in SubSaharan Africa, mobile money has significantly
expanded outside of the region in 2013. With 19
planned mobile money launches, Latin America
has the second largest number of planned services
after Sub-Saharan Africa. The question is no longer
whether mobile money services are available, but
how to ensure that the industry continues to grow
sustainably.

50 million

The number of active mobile money accounts is
growing fast, and in June 2013, there were over
50 million active mobile money users globally. An
increasing number of services are also reaching scale
and 10 have over one million active users.

Mobile money is becoming a strategically important
service for a growing number of providers,
evidenced by the fact that three quarters of
providers plan to increase their investment in mobile
money in 2014.
With an increasing number of providers overcoming
operational challenges around the distribution of
mobile money and its adoption, mobile money
will continue to be the main driver of financial
inclusion in developing countries. At the end of
2013, nine markets already had more mobile money
accounts than bank accounts, compared to just
four last year. In these markets, the mobile money
industry has made financial services accessible to

more people than the traditional banking industry
ever has. Mobile money providers who follow best
practices presented in this report will also see
interesting returns on investments. Development of
their product offering and of a broad ecosystem of
companies and merchants using mobile money will
help them increase both usage of their services and
revenues.
The development of other mobile financial services
including mobile insurance, mobile credit and
savings will allow service providers to deepen
financial inclusion by offering financial services
beyond money transfer and payment.

18. Jake Kendall, Nataliya Mylenko and Alejandro Ponce, “Measuring Financial Access Around the World” (June 2010), Policy Research Working Paper 5253, The World Bank. Available at http://elibrary.worldbank.
org/doi/book/10.1596/1813-9450-5253
19. CGAP, GSMA, and McKinsey & Company “Mobile Money Market Sizing Study” (2010)

52



53

THE digital
futurE

Future Economic Growth
Looking to the future, the
world will continue to see
robust economic growth, but
also a range of new
challenges which society will
endeavour to meet. As much
as US$ 48 trillion will have
been added to the global
economy as the world’s
population hits 7.7 billion and
average GDP per capita
jumps a staggering 50%.

The world in 2020 (technology)
TOTAL CONNECTED DEVICES

ALL TECHNOLOGIES

11.3Bn

MOBILE CONNECTED DEVICES

PC, TABLET, HANDSETS AND M2M

6.9Bn

2013

25.7Bn
BIG DATA ANALYTICS

ADDRESSABLE AMOUNT OF DATA FOR BIG DATA ANALYTICS

750
EXABYTES

13,000
EXABYTES

2020

2020

35%

Automotive

Smart Cities*

Handsets/Tablets

PCs/Laptops

Other M2M

Consumer Electronics**

US$ 196Bn US$ 92Bn US$ 336Bn

CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

2013

70%

2020

3D PRINTING

Addressable opportunity for operators in selected
vertical sectors

PERCENTAGE OF CLOUD-BASED DATA TRAFFIC

2013

Will have been added to the global economy
as the world’s population hits

2013

10.8Bn

2020

US$ 48tn
7.7bn

2020

Health

US$ 24Bn US$ 351Bn US$ 48Bn US$ 70Bn
*GSMA deﬁnition of Smart ** Handsets, PCs/laptops & tablets

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

PROPORTION OF DRIVERLESS OR NEAR-DRIVERLESS VEHICLES

US$ 200 - 400 BILLION WORTH RELEVANT PRODUCTS
COULD BE 3D PRINTABLE

US$ 200Bn to

US$ 400Bn
Source: GSMA; Machina Research

~0%

Ecosystem Revenue Growth
2013

5-20%

2020

US$ 4.5 trillion
per annum

The connected devices market will
open-up critical new revenue streams,
facilitate new business models, drive
efficiencies and improve the way existing
services across many different sectors
are delivered. In total, the positive impact
on the global economy could be worth
as much as US$ 4.5 trillion per annum.


3


Ensuring a
healthy and
prosperous
digital future

The world of 2020 will offer a range of lifeenhancing services powered by a vibrant mobile
ecosystem that connects the physical and digital
worlds. The benefits of mobility will spread
beyond communications to provide dramatic
improvements in sectors such as energy
efficiency, security, health and education.

3.1 The Digital Future
Looking to the future, the world will continue to see
robust economic growth, but also a range of new
challenges which society will endeavour to meet.
As much as US$ 48 trillion will have been added
to the global economy as the world’s population
hits 7.7 billion and average GDP per capita jumps a
staggering 50%20. Emerging markets will continue to
grow in importance, with 45% of GDP now generated
from urban areas. This will create a new wave of
middle class consumption. At a global level one in
six people will be over 60, which will have a dramatic
impact on core public services such as health-care at
a time when there are likely to be ongoing pressures

on government spending.
Innovation in technology presents the opportunity
to address these pressing needs of society. The
combination of strong growth in the number of
connected devices together with exponential growth
in average data consumption highlight the important
role that connectivity will play in addressing these
issues in 2020. When coupled with innovations in big
data analytics, cloud computing and 3D printing the
opportunity to connect the physical and the digital
provides a unique platform to improve quality of life
and productivity.

Source: GSMA; Machina Research

The world in 2020 (technology)
Big Data Analytics

Cloud Technology

Addressable amount of data for big data analytics

Percentage of cloud-based data traffic

2013

750 Exabytes

13,000 Exabytes

2013

35%

2020

The GSMA has identified four key growth areas that
present both significant opportunities and benefits
for consumers. These areas also provide clear
opportunities for mobile operators to collaborate
and, in doing so, play an active role in delivering
them. Delivering the digital future will require a more

collaborative approach between mobile operators
and other ecosystem players. A new focus on
collaboration will bring greater scale to operator
activities in the global race to meet the needs of the
customer in the future.

2020

70%

3D Printing

AUTONOMOUS DRIVING

US$ 200 - 400 billion worth relevant products could
be 3D printable involving cost savings as well as added
value from customisation

Proportion of driverless or near-driverless vehicles

US$ 200Bn to

US$ 400Bn

2013

~0%

2020

5-20%

20. Economic growth forecasts prepared by GSMAi

56

| Ensuring a healthy and prosperous digital future

Ensuring a healthy and prosperous digital future |

57


The world of 2020 will offer a range of life-enhancing
services powered by a vibrant mobile ecosystem
that connects the physical and digital worlds. This
convergence will unleash a new dimension of services
that improve the quality of consumers’ lives and the
productivity of enterprises. The benefits of mobility
will spread far beyond communications to provide
dramatic improvements in sectors such as energy
efficiency, security, health and education.

The GSMA has identified four key growth areas that present both
significant opportunities and benefits for consumers, as well as providing
clear opportunities for mobile operators to collaborate and in doing so to
play an active role in delivering these opportunities and benefits.

2020
The world of

The world of 2020 will offer a
range of life-enhancing services
powered by a vibrant mobile
ecosystem that connects the
physical and digital worlds.

Personal Data

Connected Living

Become the secure
guardians of
consumer data

Connect the physical
and digital worlds

Digital Commerce

Network 2020

Enable and build the
digital commerce
ecosystem

Create the network
for secure, smart
and seamless
services


59



3.2
The Personal Data opportunity

The opportunity unearthed by the mobile broadband
era means that increasingly large sections of society
already have access to a broad range of new services
and applications; the growth in smartphone adoption
and widespread data connectivity has democratised
access to digital services across the world. As
highlighted earlier in the report, this trend is likely to
accelerate, with almost 4 billion mobile broadband
connections forecast to be added in the period out
to 2020.
The digital future will encompass a wide variety
of services that are always online, available crossplatform, and accessible from any location. As access
to digital services spreads and technology develops
further, the mix of mobile services will also evolve to
encompass new ecosystems in areas such as mobile
commerce, health, and e-government. However, as
individuals use digital identities to conduct an ever
wider range of activities in the digital world, so the
level of risk they are exposed to has increased. As
a result, the need for new identity solutions has
become ever more critical.
By 2020, consumer access to digital services could
be verified by a widely adopted, operator provided
digital identifier. Identity linked to the phone number
and secured via the SIM would enable users to
benefit from ‘bank grade’ authentication to services
such as digital passports and financial services.

The benefits of a secure digital identity extend
across all areas of society. For governments this
would allow the further development of eServices,
which would streamline the interface between
governments and citizens and allow the delivery of
efficient and effective services. For enterprises this
would allow greater security around corporate data,
as well as allowing more efficient and effective workflows.

3.2.1

The industry opportunity around
Personal Data
Initially, the mobile medium will most likely provide identity management services
within the context of online services; but in the longer term it could add convenience,
security and privacy within the context of real-world identity use cases—from
entering a building to buying goods in a supermarket. Identity is a very broad ranging
enabler, and mobile identity solutions can yield value within a far broader setting than
just the mobile world.
There are already a number of new players in the digital arena, such as Facebook,
Amazon and Google. Most of these new players have their own solutions to manage
digital identities, a number of which could be used as the authentication medium for
an individual’s online activities.
This brings a challenge to the mobile operators to retain customer relevance and to
play an active role in the developing personal data market. As the market evolves
towards ubiquitous digitalisation the value of verifiable users and their profile data is
increasing21. Retaining customer relevance depends on operators’ ability to securely
identify users, while value is unlocked by operators’ ability to provide personalised
services based on the user’s profile.
As trusted and regulated players operators are in a strong position to offer a solution
to these challenges. Further, operators hold key data assets, such as demographic,
behavioural and contextual information. The capability to secure and mediate this
personal data across the wider ecosystem will enable the seeds of a personal data
market to emerge.

There are many major industries that would
have their development constrained without the
development of secure digital authentication
services. These include public services (including
eHealth), financial services, and the eCommerce
market.

21. The Value of Our Data, Boston Consulting Group, 2012

60



61



Source: Machina Research, October 2013

3.3
Connected Living – linking the
physical and digital worlds
There will be a dramatic rise in the number of
mobile connections (including handsets, tablets
and machine-to-machine devices), with the number
forecast to reach 11 billion by 2020 (while the total
number of connected devices across all access
technologies could reach 25 billion). This new class
of devices will be a key enabler of a new category of
services that improve quality of life and productivity
of consumers, society and enterprises by linking
physical and digital worlds.

Mobile is already delivering connectivity to a broad
range of devices, allowing the development of
innovative new services and applications. This is
bringing a new wave of connectivity, beyond tablets
and laptops; to connected cars and buildings; TVs
and game consoles; smart meters and traffic control;
with the prospect of connecting almost anything
and anyone. The Internet of Things (“IoT”) is the
ability of devices to communicate with each other
independent of any human. Mobile networks enable
a host of innovative products and services that
benefit consumers and businesses across a growing
number of sectors. This is what the GSMA refers to
as the “Connected Life”.
The connected devices market will open-up critical
new revenue streams, facilitate new business models,
drive efficiencies and improve the way existing

services across many different sectors are delivered.
They will represent a very important demand-side
stimulus that helps finance the deployment of
mobile broadband networks around the world. In
total, the positive impact on the global economy
could be worth as much as US$ 4.5 trillion per
annum, according to research commissioned by the
GSMA in partnership with Machina Research22.
Connected Living promises a revolutionary step
change in customer quality of life and enterprise
productivity. Through a widely distributed,
locally agile/intelligent network of smart devices,
the Connected Life has the potential to enable
extensions and enhancements to fundamental
services in areas such as education and health
while offering the next ecosystem for application
development.

2020 Addressable opportunity for operators in selected
vertical sectors

Total Connected Devices

11.3Bn

Mobile Connected Devices

6.9Bn

2013

2013

25.7Bn 10.8Bn
2020

Health

2020

Automotive

US$ 24Bn

US$ 196Bn

Smart Cities*

Consumer Electronics**

US$ 92Bn

US$ 70Bn

Other M2M

PCs/Laptops

US$ 48Bn
Handsets/Tablets

US$ 336Bn

US$ 351Bn
*GSMA definition of Smart
** Handsets, PCs/laptops & tablets

22. http://connectedlife.gsma.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Global_Impact_2012.pd

62



63



Source: McKinsey & Company

Customer Vision of Internet of Things in 2020
The IoT ecosystem will revolutionise our customers’ lives from multiple perspectives

On the go

Connected Devices/Cars

Pervasive smart connectivity brings consumers’
physical and digital life closer together

IN THE HOME
Connected Home

Connected intelligent buildings bring the benefits
home by driving dramatic improvements in (energy)
efficiency and security and extending benefits of
health and education to the home

IN THE CITY
Smart Cities

Smart cities ensures a networked urban society shares
in the benefits of intelligent traffic management, smart
energy grids and security

AND BEYOND
Agriculture

While spreading the benefits to rural areas by enabling
innovation in agriculture and improving access to key
services such as education and health

3.3.1

The industry opportunity for
Connected Living
The proliferation of connected devices will create a significant revenue opportunity
for mobile operators; will put the mobile industry at the centre of connecting adjacent
industries; and ultimately deliver the connected life. In order to fully develop this
market to its full potential, it is important that mobile operators prepare to play a
central role in the delivery of new Internet of Things (“IoT”) services by supporting the
emerging new requirements and business models.
In the near term there is a need to deliver increased network efficiency in order to
accommodate the increasing number of IoT devices; while there is a longer term need
to define the evolution of the network and operator capabilities in order to support
IoT services and new business models.
The mobile industry is in the process of agreeing the definition of a Machine SIM that
addresses remote provisioning requirements, as defined in the GSMA’s Embedded
SIM Fast Track Project. These devices have fundamentally different requirements than
personal devices. Such devices are expected to remain in the field for up to 10-20
years, have wide-ranging form factors, have uncertain after sales locations and be
remotely located, which render traditional removable SIM cards unsuitable.
In addition, the industry needs to aim to unlock the potential of Connected Living
services in a number of markets by working to eliminate existing barriers, for
example, by highlighting the need for a differentiated regulatory/policy treatment
of the Machine SIM. Operators will need to engage with stakeholders in key adjacent
industries, as well as with governments and regulators in order to provide the key
foundations of the IoT and to help form the basis of a vibrant ecosystem for the next
generation of connected services.

New services have been launched and are already having an impact in a range of industries
including financial services, healthcare, education and agriculture; in both developed and
developing markets.

64



65



3.4
Digital Commerce – placing mobile
at the heart of future commerce
New mobile technologies are profoundly changing
the way in which people and businesses buy and
sell goods and services. Mass-market smartphones,
with touchscreens, fast connections and an array
of feature-rich applications, are extending the
convenience and interactivity of online commerce into
the physical bricks and mortar world.
All types of commerce will have the potential to be
completed on connected devices, unrestricted by
geographical boundaries and with digital wallets
integrating all stores of value. Intelligence will
be integrated into the commerce environment
via digital identity to maximise the value for the
customer and optimise efficiency for the service
provider.
Individuals increasingly interact with mobile
commerce services from many different providers
and in many different ways. To reduce this
complexity, consumers need a straightforward and
consistent approach to organising digital vouchers,
loyalty programmes, payment cards, tickets and
other items. A mobile wallet can meet that need: a

mobile wallet is designed to aggregate and manage
mobile commerce services, supporting payment
cards, tickets, loyalty cards, receipts, vouchers and
other items that might be found in a conventional
wallet (or purse).

3.4.1

Digital Commerce
By 2020, digital commerce could generate ecosystem service revenues of
US$ 67 billion23, not including coupons and loyalty. Whilst the addressable
revenue for individual operators will be dependent on the role taken within the
value chain and business models, this new ecosystem presents a significant
opportunity for new revenue growth for all players.
A key element in enabling a digital commerce service via the mobile device is
identification of the user and secure authentication of their transaction. As such,
digital commerce provides potential for the monetisation of operators’ digital
identity initiatives.
Within the digital commerce ecosystem no one single group of stakeholders
has the assets required to be able to offer an end-to-end proposition. As such,
partnerships will be required between stakeholders with different assets and
capabilities to create and enable a secure, seamless and intelligent ecosystem.

A mobile wallet will enable an individual to easily
subscribe to and browse through many services,
including payment cards, offers, vouchers, loyalty
programmes, tickets and other items they need in
their daily lives. Consumers can also typically use
services in the wallet to validate tickets, redeem
vouchers, initiate transactions, utilise multiple loyalty
services and simplify other day-to-day tasks.

23. GSMA forecast based on Informa data. Service revenues do not include the value of goods sold or value transacted.

66



67



3.5
Network 2020: a key pillar of the
digital future
Mobile networks will be at the heart of the all-IP
mobile broadband era. They will serve an everincreasing volume of data, enabling a vast array of
innovative services. In order to be able to provide
connectivity on a cost-effective and sustainable basis,
mobile networks will need to be smarter, responsive,
modular, flexible, scalable, adaptable and open.
If the current pace of change in customer demand
and behaviour is to be met, and market forecasts
for data traffic growth become a reality, then capex
and operational expenditure will need to come under
considerable scrutiny to make the business case for
continued network evolution viable for operators.
Capex spend in particular must enable new
functionalities to be installed into the network which
can be used to unlock new revenue streams.
Mobile services will increasingly migrate into the
Cloud to deliver on the promise of service access
anytime, anywhere through any device; such services
will be dependent on the availability of consistent
high speed, low latency connections.

68


3.5.1

Network 2020
The operator community will need to collaborate on the definition of common
processes, guidelines and standards in the network space to meet the challenges
and opportunities of the future. Operators should look to avoid fragmentation,
guarantee interoperability of services and enable new business opportunities
at a regional or global scale. Only through this collaboration will the industry be
able to meet increasing demands for capacity and provide the level of service
customers will demand as mobile networks play an increasingly important role in
their everyday lives.

This will present business opportunities for operators
in providing the requisite connectivity (through
4G/LTE) as well as monetisable service delivery
components such as differential quality of services
(QoS).
The networks of 2020 will need to be more “selfaware” and dynamically configurable, not only to
efficiently cope with the increased traffic demand,
but also to provide a more optimal Quality of
Experience (QoE) to the customer and the ability to
transition to policy-based charging.


69


3.6 The importance of industry and
ecosystem collaboration
Realising the potential of this digital future will require increased
industry and ecosystem collaboration. While revenue growth for
the mobile operators has been slowing, for the broader ecosystem
revenue trends have been improving. New entrants to the
ecosystem have often come from adjacent industry sectors that
have already seen significant consolidation. Companies in areas
such as component manufacturing; devices and OS; advertising and
applications typically have between two and three times the market
share of the largest mobile operators, which in turn leads to return
on capital that are significantly higher than those generated by the
mobile operators.

The gulf in performance highlights the importance
of scale economies and the advantage of global
coordination in responding to rapid developments
in technology evolution and shifts in customer
behaviour. Increased collaboration among operators
is an obvious lever for closing the performance gaps
with industry peers.
Operators have already made individual efforts to
prepare for the world of 2020 and such initiatives
will play a crucial role in preparing for the changes
required to meet the needs of their customers
in 2020. However, in addition to these initiatives,
operators have an untapped opportunity to develop
a select number of collaborative actions to help
improve the industry.
New players in the mobile ecosystem can
also benefit from increased collaboration and
cooperation. Mobile operators are already partnering
with a range of industry partners, including
equipment vendors and device manufacturers,
in order for example to define common technical
standards that can help drive the take up of new
services.

70


At the 2013 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, a
number of mobile network operator chief executive
officers raised the issue that the services provided by
Online Service Providers (“OSPs”) are able to benefit
directly from operator investments in network
quality and speed, without incurring any of their
own costs. With OSP services depending on network
operators’ ongoing investments in their networks, a
more collaborative approach could benefit all parties
and allow the ecosystem to develop on a more
sustainable basis.

INCREASED
COLLABORATION
Realising the potential of
this digital future will require
increased industry and
ecosystem collaboration.

Policy measures
to drive the
growing economic
and social benefits
of mobile services

Mobile Spectrum Beneﬁts
Europe

Asia Paciﬁc

Digital Dividend

700MHz Band

€119Bn

US$ 1Tn

156,000

2,100,000

Additional GDP (by 2020)

Spectrum measures for mobile evolution

Additional jobs (by 2020)

Latin America



Sub-Saharan Africa

700MHz Band

Digital Dividend

US$ 370Bn

US$ 49Bn

112,000

506,000


GLOBAL MOBILE DATA USAGE IS GROWING STRONGLY

600-800MHz

ADDITIONAL
SPECTRUM
WILL NEED TO BE
ALLOCATED FOR
MOBILE USE BY 2025


Arab Middle East



North Africa

Digital Dividend,
2.6GHz & 1.8GHz

Digital Dividend,
2.6GHz & 1.8GHz

US$ 57.5Bn

US$ 50.5Bn


The fundamental building block of any mobile network is radio spectrum.
The amount, type and conditions of use of spectrum operators have,
directly impacts the speed and reach of mobile services.

1,900,000



4,000,000



4

Policy measures to drive
the growing economic
and social benefits of
mobile services


4.1 Spectrum measures for mobile evolution
The fundamental building block of any mobile
network is radio spectrum. The amount, type and
conditions of use of spectrum operators have, directly
impacts the speed and reach of mobile services.
Global mobile data usage is growing strongly, with
GSMA research indicating that this growth means an
additional 600-800MHz of spectrum will need to be
allocated for mobile use by 2025. Given the timeframe
it takes to secure new spectrum for mobile typically
takes around 10 years, it is vital that the governments
and regulators act now in order to meet the expected
mobile data demands in 2025. Securing additional
long term harmonised spectrum is critical.

Mobile infrastructure underpins economic and social development in the
same ways as roads, railways and ports. Policymakers should ensure that the
right conditions are in place for the full transformational potential of mobile
services to be realised. As the mobile Internet gathers momentum, policy
change is required to ensure that adequate investment and innovation comes
from all ecosystem players.

74

| Policy measures

Policy measures |

75



4.1.1 The challenge of acquiring new
spectrum
Securing appropriate new spectrum to deliver the
capacity and coverage needed to bring high speed
mobile services to both urban and rural consumers
will be hard. For mobile to get new allocations,
particularly of the bandwidth and characteristics
needed to deliver competitive, mass market services,
governments will need to examine improving the
efficiency of, or potentially moving, incumbent users,
such as broadcasters and the military.
Critically, they need to act in concert with the
international community to ensure that the new
spectrum is harmonised. By allocating the same
new frequency bands across entire regions, not
just individual countries, the cost of consumer
mobile devices and operator network infrastructure

Region

can be dramatically reduced while also enabling
international roaming.
If this endeavour is to be successful, the mobile
industry together with governments and regulators,
needs to agree on the required amount of new
spectrum for mobile, identify the appropriate new
bands, and demonstrate how the existing users can
be viably accommodated in different bands or with a
reduced amount of spectrum.
Critical work needs to be completed by November
2015 when the International Telecommunication
Union’s (“ITU”) World Radiocommunication
Conference (WRC-15) will address the provision of
new spectrum bands for mobile networks and other
services.

New Spectrum Additional
Type
GDP (by 2020)

Additional
jobs (by 2020)

Europe

Digital Dividend

€119Bn

700MHz band

US$ 1Tn

700MHz band

US$ 370Bn

Digital Dividend

US$ 49Bn

Digital Dividend,
2.6GHz & 1.8GHz

US$ 57.5Bn*

Digital Dividend,
2.6GHz & 1.8GHz

US$ 50.5Bn*

The first phase of this transition is currently in
progress with new 4G networks operating in the
800MHz band in many nations in Europe, Africa
and Middle East, and in the 700MHz band in the
Americas and Asia Pacific.

1,900,000*

North Africa

However, emerging markets will only be able to
benefit from 4G networks operating on Digital
Dividend spectrum if consumers can afford the
devices. This is why the GSMA is driving industry
dialogue on how we can foster a new generation of
low-cost LTE devices which will open up the Internet
to millions of new users.

506,000

Arab Middle East

Digital Dividend bands are at relatively low
frequencies so have excellent coverage properties,
making them a crucial means of providing mobile
broadband to rural areas in both developed and
developing markets where fixed-broadband
frequently fails to reach. This offers a unique
opportunity to ensure that the economic and social
benefits of broadband can be enjoyed by all.

112,000

Sub-Saharan
Africa

In 2015, a critical second phase should begin if the
ITU gives final approval for the 700MHz band to be
allocated to 4G services in Europe, Africa and the
Middle East. This will provide vital additional mobile
capacity in these regions as well as create a global
4G band which will help reduce the cost of mobile
devices.

2,100,000

Latin America

The most important new spectrum that has been
allocated for mobile use in recent years is the
Digital Dividend. This refers to the frequency bands
made available for mobile broadband as terrestrial
television broadcasters start to use their vast
spectrum resources more efficiently – by adopting
digital radio transmissions.

156,000

Asia Pacific

4.1.2 Driving the Digital Dividend

4,000,000*

*By 2025

76

| Policy measures

Policy measures |

77



4.1.3 Licensing spectrum effectively
The process of licencing frequency bands to mobile
operators requires a clear and predictable process
to ensure that the benefits of this limited resource
can be maximised. Unless this process is managed
properly, spectrum can go unsold or sold at such a
high price as to reduce opportunities for network
investment.
The most common method for spectrum allocation is
the license auction process—both for new spectrum
and, in some countries, for existing spectrum if a
licence has expired and is not renewed. It is essential
that this process is carefully managed in order to
give operators the confidence to purchase spectrum
and maximise long-term investment in the resulting
network.
This requires a transparent, predictable and
consultative regulatory framework that includes
a clearly defined approach to renewals and the
conditions for use. The prospect of licence expiry
without certainty inhibits mobile operators from
making long-term investment decisions.

Governments and regulators should work with the
presumption of licence renewal for the existing
licence holder to prevent services abruptly stopping.
Exceptions should only apply if there has been a
serious breach of licence conditions. Mobile licences
should be granted for 15-20 years so operators can
be encouraged to invest in their networks and be
service neutral so that operators can easily adopt the
latest technologies such as 4G.
Successful auctions should also reflect the socioeconomic value of the spectrum—as they are
a means for transparently and fairly assigning
spectrum not raising major tax revenues. It is
important to appreciate that the money operators
spend on licenses could have been spent on building
a network with broader reach and greater capacity.
This means regulators should carefully manage the
cost of licenses and should allow operators to pay in
appropriate instalments to encourage strong initial
network investment.

4.1.4 Spectrum caps
Spectrum caps are limits imposed by regulators
on how much spectrum can be licensed by any
mobile operator. While they can be a useful tool
in markets where there is insufficient competition,
there is a danger that they can be misused leading to
unfortunate outcomes for consumers.

4.2 The importance of best practice taxation
Mobile use continues to grow around the world and
in particular in developing countries where it can
have a profound socio-economic effect. In order to
be able to reach the poorest, whose lives the mobile
phone has the most potential to change, mobile
services must be affordable. Mobile operators and
the rest of the ecosystem have worked to deliver
this via extensive investments in networks and
innovations in technologies, handsets and pricing
models. But this effort is impeded when government
increases the cost of ownership and network roll-out
via excessive sector specific taxes and fees.
The GSMA supports a best practice taxation
approach that strikes the right balance between
encouraging the growth of the digital economy
and fair revenue collection for governments.
Governments should not impose sector-specific
taxes on the mobile industry/consumer above
the taxation levels for other enterprises. Where
mobile-specific taxes exist, governments should
implement phased reductions of such taxes to create
a harmonised tax environment. While to an observer
this might initially be seen as self-interest, it is clearly
also in the interests of extending mobile connectivity
to all sections of society and generating significant
socio-economic benefits.

Furthermore, it is also in the interest of the
governments in question. By not artificially inflating
the cost of ownership with sector specific taxes and
fees, an increased number of citizens will be able
to benefit from mobile services, which will in turn
drive economic development and generate more
tax revenue than is available from imposing sector
specific fees.
The GSMA has long argued that there is a clear
link between lowering the tax burden on mobile
services and the rate of growth of the mobile
industry in a country. Excessive taxation on mobile
services—in the developing world in particular—is
ultimately counterproductive. It limits the significant
impact that mobile can have on the poorest in
society, restricts economic development that could
otherwise be achieved for the benefit of all and
ultimately governments lose out on the advantages
of growth which would have outweighed the shortterm benefits of tax receipts.

Instead, licence conditions for network deployment
and spectrum use normally lead to better services
for consumers while market monopolisation can be
better addressed through antitrust measures.

Operators should not be penalised for their success
or prevented from delivering new services. Operators
with the largest market share are usually the ones
that most urgently need more spectrum. Penalising
their success by artificially restricting access means
their large customer base will suffer from falling
service levels.

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Policy measures |

79



4.3 Sustaining effective competition and
encouraging investment
Ensuring sustainable effective competition in the
mobile industry is important if it is to remain a
vibrant and innovative sector. But a trade-off exists
between increased competition and leveraging
economies of scale. Mobile markets are dynamic
and benefit from economies of scale and scope. In
some countries, network sharing agreements or
joint ventures are already enabling cost efficiencies
that enables marginal investments—like network
coverage in rural areas—to be made.

Streamlining merger reviews and taking a more
cautious approach to the imposition of remedies
should reduce impediments to the efficient
consolidation of mobile markets.
Regulators should focus on healthy competition that
attracts sufficient long-term investment instead of
favouring new market entrants and short-term price
cuts. Policies focused on increasing the number
of competitors in dynamic markets can cause
unintended harm in the long-term.

In many markets consolidation is expected which
is an often observed feature of maturing industries
that require high levels of capital investment.

80

| Policy measures

Net neutrality—the idea that all internet traffic
should be treated equally—is often raised in relation
to mobile and fixed communications network
management regarding the prioritisation of traffic.
One argument is that legislation is necessary to
ensure that all data on the Internet is treated in the
same way. But, the reality is that traffic management
is a necessary requirement where capacity
constraints exist, as they do—especially in mobile
networks.
In order to avoid congestion, investment in network
capacity should be complemented by service and
customer-oriented network management.

4.4 Supporting innovation with a common
position on Intellectual Property Rights
As a result of a number of high-profile lawsuits
in relation to the so-called “Patent Wars” in the
telecommunications industry, together with the
development of the European Unitary Patent and
Unified Patent Court proposals, Intellectual Property
Rights (IPR) have recently risen in prominence and
garnered the public’s attention. The GSMA has
established an Intellectual Property Rights Working
Group, bringing together the leading IPR experts
from major operators and manufacturers across the
globe, to address the industry’s approach to IPR
and ensure the continued health of the operator
community, its suppliers and customers.

4.5 Avoiding unnecessary restrictions on
network management

Mobile operators already have to prioritise between
types of data (i.e. voice versus data) and types of
user (i.e. handset or application type) in order to
ensure the service levels that consumers expect.
In order to be able to maintain these service levels
mobile operators need to be free to innovate and

create pricing models that are better aligned with
the services that the consumer is both wanting to
use and willing to pay for.
Mobile networks are more traffic-sensitive than
fixed networks, making traffic management even
more important. Mobile operators need to deal
with continually changing traffic patterns and
congestion within the limits imposed by finite
radio-network capacity where one user’s traffic
can have a significant effect on overall network
performance. These characteristics, combined with
users’ mobility, require operators to have greater
flexibility in choosing how to manage their networks
in order to ensure an optimum consumer experience.
Inappropriate over-regulation on traffic management
and service differentiation would negatively impact
innovation and consumer choice.

A fair and robust IPR regime is paramount in order
to encourage innovation and the GSMA continues
to reach out to the ecosystem in order to muster
support for a common position amongst operators,
manufacturers and regulators aimed at maintaining a
balanced IPR regime within the telecommunications
industry, which will ensure that IPR-related
disruption is kept to a minimum for the benefit of the
whole mobile ecosystem.

Policy measures |

81


Source:

Key policy enablers for the mobile world in 2020

Personal Data

Connected Living

Digital Commerce

Network 2020

Become the secure
guardians of
consumer data

Connect the
physical and
digital worlds

Enable and
build the digital
commerce
ecosystem

Create the network
for secure, smart
and seamless
services

REGULATION
Create data protection
laws which reflect the
realities of the online
world
Advocate standardsbased global
authentication solutions
that take advantage of
mobile device ubiquity

New connected machines
must not be taxed and
regulated like mobile
phones to keep costs
down and drive uptake
Drive regulatory enablers
across all industries
(automotive, utilities,
manufacturing, consumer
electronics etc.)

Establish a regulatory
environment to enable
consumers to use mobile
devices to pay for goods
through a digital wallet

Promote policies that
encourage greater
internet access through
network investment not
just increased competition
Increase radio spectrum
allocations for telecom
networks to support
growing data use
Minimise net neutrality
regulation to allow quality
of service differentiation
to speed up networks

82

| Policy measures

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