All research

Direct to cell continues to be the main attraction for operators due to the monetisation opportunities from an extended coverage footprint. IoT is an interesting storyline in 2025 given that the latest standards (Release 19) incorporate new functionality for non-terrestrial network services geared at IoT applications such as sensors, telematics and energy monitoring.

For several years, edge compute has been a key part of the 5G value proposition for telecoms operators selling into industries – even before AI. However, AI adds a new dimension to the value of edge through distributed inference.

MWC Barcelona 2025 attracted over 2,900 exhibitors, including telecoms operators, vendors and firms from across the broader technology ecosystem. This report examines the key announcements and innovations that took centre stage, what came as a surprise and what it all means for telecoms and the wider TMT industry.

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

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

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

Sustained cost pressures and commitments to net zero have made energy efficiency a strategic priority for telecoms operators; sustainability registered as a top network transformation priority for operators around the world in 2024. Partnering with a global set of mobile operators, GSMA Intelligence leveraged its independent position and analytical capabilities to launch its Energy Efficiency Analysis and Benchmarking project in 2020. The benchmark is based on fully anonymised, real-world data inputs, with a goal of quantifying network energy consumption, efficiency levels and fuel sources. With each successive year, operator participation in the benchmarking project has grown. The result is a unique, increasingly salient, network-level global data set on energy efficiency, alongside insights into sustainability trends, technologies and best practices.

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

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

The recent announcement that the government in Malaysia has granted a second nationwide 5G licence removes what was in effect an infrastructure monopoly and paves the way for a dual-network model. This report highlights how the move to a 5G dual-network model is the right one for customer choice, long-term financial sustainability and Malaysia's competitiveness as a tech and services economy.

Apple's announcement in September 2024 that it will incorporate support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) in the iPhone and wider device portfolio was a significant move for the messaging ecosystem. This report looks at the device provisioning through an entitlement server required for telcos to enable RCS for Apple and Android that will come into effect in 2025, in particular for securely enabling the message flow between the two OS platforms.

This report focuses on the increasing investment by mobile operators and service providers on super-apps, where legacy mobile banking, payments and messaging apps and more are subsumed into one all-inclusive app. With new technology, super-apps today can feature a core stack with 'mini-apps' that are layered on for quick development and rollout. This gives a lot of flexibility and speed for operators to build out ecosystem partnerships and bring new services to market fast, thereby increasing their revenue generation potential.

AI is reshaping telecoms operations worldwide, offering a mix of opportunities and complex challenges. Understanding how to measure returns is paramount to ensuring sustainable value creation. This research therefore discusses methods to measure the impact of AI transformation.

In the last three months, eight more operators moved into the satellite space, taking the total to almost 100. This report tracks data and developments from telcos and satellite companies in pursuit of monetisation in the consumer, B2B and government sectors.

The complexity of reorienting network strategy around sustainability means a clear framework is key for prioritising when and where actions should be taken. This report outlines such a framework, offering telecoms operators and their suppliers a 'true north' to guide decision-making.

Operator interest in GSMA Open Gateway has continued in H2 2024. The API library has also expanded to grow the range of options for developers, vendors, hyperscalers and other aggregators. This latest research looks at the state of the market, recent developments, and examples of APIs in action.

The security threat landscape across telecoms and the broader technology industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This report, focused on Europe, is the last in a five-part series. The series aims to evaluate the threat landscape for telecoms operators; track where and why things have changed in the threat landscape for better or worse; discuss innovation and best practice in solutions to mitigate or repel threats; and examine potential future scenarios and how to get ahead of the curve.

The security threat landscape across telecoms and the broader technology industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This report series aims to evaluate the threat landscape for telecoms operators; track where and why things have changed in the threat landscape for better or worse; discuss innovation and best practice in solutions to mitigate or repel threats; and examine potential future scenarios and how to get ahead of the curve.

The developer segment is a key channel partner for operators looking to monetise fixed and mobile network APIs with enterprise buyers.To help understand the developer audience in more detail, GSMA Intelligence surveyed 1,000 developers around the world in mid-2024.

Solutions and policy remedies to the challenge of decarbonisation are urgent considering the timelines and milestones ahead for net zero. This research presents the state of play and outlook for renewables. It outlines the long-term benefits to decarbonisation that such an energy transition offers.

The economics of rolling out telecoms networks in rural areas have long proved challenging. The difficulties centre on running a high fixed cost business against a lower revenue base. To examine the state and outlook for energy use among African telecoms operators, GSMA Intelligence ran a data gathering exercise involving most of the largest telecoms operators in the region.

At MWC Las Vegas 2024, enterprise 5G was the unifying theme, but did the event manage to prove the 5G value proposition as key to enterprise digital transformation?

MWC Las Vegas 2024 saw three days of meetings, demos, keynotes and engaging content. Beyond the broad enterprise 5G theme, three areas of insight stood out: AI, IoT and non-terrestrial network (NTN) development.

The security threat landscape across telecoms and the broader technology industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This is the third report in a five-part series. The series aims to evaluate the threat landscape for telecoms operators; track where and why things have changed in the threat landscape for better or worse; discuss innovation and best practice in solutions to mitigate or repel threats; and examine potential future scenarios and how to get ahead of the curve.

The telecoms industry stands at a critical juncture, where the push for energy efficiency intersects with rapid technological advancements. This latest report in the AI series dives into the vital role of AI in enhancing energy efficiency in telecoms.

With slow ARPU growth in the connectivity business, revenue diversification remains an imperative for operators. As demand expands for solutions across a range of technology areas (cloud, edge, IoT, security), the B2B segment offers significant growth opportunities.

The security threat landscape across telecoms and the broader technology industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace. This is the second in a five-part series on security innovations in the telecoms industry. This edition focuses on Northern Africa.