The Mobile Enabled Community Services team is publishing a new report on “Sizing the Opportunity of Mobile to Support Energy and Water Access”, estimating that hundreds of millions of people living in emerging markets are currently covered by mobile networks but without access to electricity and/or clean water.

Mobile connectivity has grown beyond the reach of the electricity grid and piped water networks in most emerging markets, widening the gap that exists between access to mobile and access to utility services especially for underserved populations. With GSM coverage reaching up to 84% of the population living in developing countries, the size and the reach of the mobile industry’s infrastructure, distribution channels, mobile payments and technologies already offer innovative pathways to achieve reliable energy access and improved water access for underserved communities.

Figure 1 – Evolution of the mobile coverage and subscriber’s penetration versus access to energy, water and sanitation (2000-2015)Source: GSMA, IEA, UN data (with forecast up to 2015)

Key Findings include:

• The total addressable market ^[1] for mobile-enabled energy access is more than 643 million people in 2013 or 53% of the global population without access to electricity (approximately 1.2 billion people).

• The largest addressable market is Sub Saharan Africa (359 million people), where the reach of electricity networks remains limited (approx. 32% of the population^[2]) but where GSM networks cover more than 74% of the population. Leveraging this increased mobile coverage and mobile penetration, innovative mobile-enabled energy services such as Pay-As-You-Go enables low income customers to afford solar home systems, reducing their reliance on kerosene fuel. In poor markets where barriers to affordable clean energy solutions are high, this model could prove highly impactful.

• The total addressable market for mobile-enabled water access is estimated at approximately 262 million people in 2013 or 34% of the global population without access to improved water sources (approximately 780 million people).

• In Sub Saharan Africa, where improved water access has reached 61% of the population in 2012^[3], we estimate a water-addressable market of 125 million people. Mobile monitoring of remote hand-pumps and mobile financial services for water payments or savings are some of the models currently tested to better understand the impact of mobile for water sustainability in urban and rural environments.

Five Mobile Channels

Based on the current footprint and maturity of the mobile industry, the GSMA Mobile Enabled Community Services programme envisions five mobile channels as key for service providers to support access to energy and water services.

1. Mobile Infrastructure – The Telecom Tower acts as the anchor load for the energy system, providing power for consumptive and productive use to surrounding communities via a microgrid and/or energy hub model.
2. Mobile Operator’s Distribution Channels & Mobile Money Agent Networks – The extensive footprint of a Mobile Operator’s Distribution Channels and Mobile Money Agent Networks can be leveraged to reach underserved customers and distribute energy and water solutions.
3. GSM Machine to Machine Connectivity – Smart metering and monitoring over GSM networks decentralised and utility systems can improve their lifetime and efficiency, and trigger more responsive maintenance and repair.  It also enables a remote on/off control of services for customers on a Pay-As-You-Go arrangement.
4. Mobile Payments – Mobile payments (mobile money services, SMS payments, airtime) and mobile savings are enabling the development of Pay-As-You-Go models and other innovative financing schemes providing affordable energy and water solutions to low income populations.
5. Mobile Services (Voice, SMS, USSD, Applications) – Mobile services (voice, SMS, USSD, applications) can be used by communities, village agents, and service providers to report service delivery status, improve field force operations, optimize supply chain, or provide customer support.

Download the report