Mobile Revenues Will Reach $227 Billion in Asia Pacific by 2030, Says GSMA Report

This article was originally published on GT Perspectives.

"The mobile industry continues to underpin the rapid digital transformation in Asia Pacific, with advanced mobile networks enabling innovative use cases for consumers and enterprises," according to GSMA's annual report on the state of the mobile industry in the Asia Pacific region. The UK-based organization, which aims to unify the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change, adds: "The role of mobile infrastructure and services will become even more vital to the way society functions as governments increasingly use digital technologies to tackle some of the most pressing social and economic challenges."

The report points out that "By the end of 2023, 1.8 billion people in Asia Pacific (63% of the population) subscribed to a mobile service." What is more, Growth in mobile internet penetration has been remarkable. At the end of 2023, 51% of the region's population used mobile internet, equating to just over 1.4 billion users – almost triple the figure a decade earlier. However, large swathes of the population across the region still remain unconnected, most of them within the usage gap." The GSMA importantly notes that "Addressing the usage gap is crucial to closing the digital divide and enabling life-enhancing applications around finance, health and education."

The report's key findings include:

• 5G continues to rapidly grow, but 4G will remain the dominant technology for the foreseeable future
• By the end of 2030, Asia Pacific countries will be on both ends of the global 5G spectrum
• Mobile data traffic in Asia Pacific will quadruple between 2023 and 2030
• Licensed cellular IoT connections in Asia Pacific will reach 270 million by 2030
• By 2030, mobile revenues will reach $227 billion in Asia Pacific
• At the end of the decade, mobile's economic contribution will reach $1 trillion
• The fiscal contribution of the mobile ecosystem reached $90 billion in 2023 and 5G will add almost $130 billion to the Asia Pacific economy in 2030
• Satellites and non-terrestrial networks can help reduce the connectivity gap, by bringing communications to the region's challenging terrains – including archipelagos, rainforests, deserts, and mountain ranges – where traditional infrastructure is expensive and difficult to build.
• Operators across the Asia Pacific region are harnessing the power of generative AI (genAI) to drive internal transformations and seize new revenue streams through AI investment.

I appreciate how the GSMA explains that "The impact of mobile connectivity is evidenced by its contribution to the economy." For example, "In 2023, mobile technologies and services generated 5.3% of Asia Pacific's GDP, a contribution that amounted to $880 billion of economic value added, and supported around 13 million jobs across the region."

With respect to the mobile industry's impact on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region, the GSMA says the mobile industry continues to achieve its impact on SDGs "driven by the increased reach of mobile networks and growing take-up of mobile internet services. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 4: Quality Education were the most improved SDGs in the region between 2015 and 2022. The growing use and adoption of smartphones and mobile internet is contributing to mobile's impact on the SDGs."

What do you think of the report's findings? What localized mobile services are you developing for the Asia Pacific region?

 Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor o fGT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.