Multi-Partner Mobile Health Solution to Be Used To Examine the Effects of Endurance Exercise on People with Diabetes

London: The GSMA today announced a first-of-its-kind clinical study for its mHealth Grand Tour in September 2013, which is designed to raise awareness of diabetes and promote the development and delivery of mHealth solutions in partnership with the International Diabetes Federation European Region (IDF Europe). The 13-day cycle ride will feature a live research study of the effects of multi-day endurance exercise on blood glucose levels for up to 36 volunteer riders on the tour, using data captured and transmitted wirelessly through a collaborative technical solution provided by ANT+, Dexcom and Orange. In addition, the GSMA confirmed that new partners Etisalat and u-blox will enter teams of riders into the mHealth Grand Tour and announced HIMSS and the European Health Telematics Association (EHTEL) as the latest supporters of the ride.

“Gathering clinical evidence on the impact that mobile technology will have on treating chronic conditions like diabetes is critical to unlocking its potential, and in recognising the huge cost savings and resource efficiencies it can create,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “The growing prevalence of diabetes is a big issue globally. In Europe alone, 8.5 per cent of the population, or 63 million people, are living with the condition today. The mHealth Grand Tour is the ideal platform for the mobile, health and sports worlds to unite and prove the positive impact mHealth will have on those who suffer from diabetes.”

The clinical study, designed by Professor Michael Trenell, NIHR Senior Research Fellow and Director, MoveLab, Newcastle University, will focus on the effect of multi-day exercise on glycaemia and hypoglycaemic levels in elite and sub-elite athletes with Type 1 diabetes, as well as with riders without diabetes. Through the ANT+, Dexcom and Orange technical solution, riders will track statistics on blood glucose and nutrition for two weeks before, during and after the ride, as well as cycling statistics and heart rate during the mHealth Grand Tour.

Riders will wear the Dexcom G5 continuous glucose monitor, which attaches to the skin and transmits data wirelessly over ANT+. During the ride itself, they will also use a bio-harness to capture their heart rates and an ANT+ enabled bike computer to monitor cycling statistics. All of these devices will transmit their statistics via ANT+ both to the riders’ smartphones, enabling them to track their health and performance in real time, and to an M2M module.

Orange will integrate the M2M module into a cloud-based, connected medical device PaaS (Platform as a Service) solution that, in a clinical setting, will enable the seamless, automatic and secure flow of data from patient to care provider. During the mHealth Grand Tour, the PaaS solution will transmit the data to a dedicated Web portal and process the data for later analysis by the Newcastle University research team. All technologies employed in the end-to-end technical solution adhere to standards published by Continua Health Alliance.

 “Connected medical device technologies are creating new care pathways and services for patients and their caregivers,” said Thierry Zylberberg, Director of Orange Healthcare. “The remote monitoring of chronic illnesses such as diabetes means that patients can feel confident that their caregivers are able to monitor their illness any place, any time. This represents an enormous shift in how health is managed. Orange will continue to work with patients and medical professionals to develop mobile health solutions that best meet their needs. The mHealth Tour will provide a living example of the transformative potential of mobile health through connected medical devices and interoperable platforms.”

“They key to mHealth is to simply and unobtrusively track physiological data and deliver it to the cloud,” stated Rod Morris, VP ANT Wireless. “When that data is delivered seamlessly to a variety of hubs for analysis, people realise the real benefits. The mHealth Grand Tour is showcasing the power of innovation, connectivity and collaboration where the consumer ultimately wins. That’s what it’s all about.” 

A recent study commissioned by the GSMA in conjunction with PwC revealed that mHealth adoption could help reduce costs for chronic conditions by 30 to 35 per cent in the European Union through improved treatment compliance and remote patient monitoring. Findings also revealed that mHealth could save almost €100 billion in healthcare costs in the EU by 2017 as well as add €93 billion in GDP.

Additional organisations that are joining the GSMA and the International Diabetes Federation European Region (IDF Europe) in helping to raise awareness of diabetes care, prevention and research include the Catalan Diabetes Association, Continua Health Alliance, Diabetes Croatia, Diabetes Germany, the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN), Medtech Alliance, Mobile World Capital, Team Blood Glucose (TeamBG), Team Novo Nordisk, The King’s Fund and TicSalut Foundation, among others. Participating riders will also receive expert support from organisations and individuals such as Carmichael Training Systems and Michelin-starred chef Alan Murchison.

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About the GSMA mHealth Grand Tour
The GSMA mHealth Grand Tour will depart from Brussels on 5 September 2013 and arrive in Barcelona, after 2,100km and 22,000m of climbs, on 18 September 2013, in time for a charity event. Its goals are to highlight mobile health solutions, create a new cross-industry channel for mHealth products and services, and raise funds for diabetes research and charities. For more information please visit: www.mhealthtour.com.
 
About the GSMA
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.

Media Contacts
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

The Mobile Industry Recommends Development of Full Transition Plan for Digital Television and Allocation of the ‘Digital Dividend’ for Mobile Broadband Services

Bangkok: In anticipation of a decision by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on the radio spectrum bands to be auctioned to broadcasters for digital television, the GSMA today renewed its call for the Government of Thailand to allocate the 700MHz band for mobile broadband services in full harmonisation with the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) band plan.

“This is a critical moment for the country, as the NBTC is about to choose a path for mobile spectrum that is either harmonised with the rest of Asia Pacific or one that will fragment the region, leading to costly outcomes for Thailand and its neighbouring countries,” said Tom Phillips, Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer at the GSMA. “We strongly believe that allocating the Digital Dividend for mobile broadband is the right long-term choice, enabling the connectivity of all Thai people and bringing about enormous socio-economic benefits to the country and to the region.”

The NBTC faces the question of how to allocate the spectrum that will be freed up when analogue television in Thailand is converted to digital terrestrial television (DTT), also known as the ‘Digital Dividend’. While the NBTC has not yet agreed on a clear position, its decision will have enormous implications to the national economy, as demonstrated in a March 2013 report by the GSMA and The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). If the 700MHz band was allocated to mobile from 2015, it would generate US$14.8 billion more in GDP by 2020 than if it was allocated to DTT broadcasting and would enable the creation of 55,000 additional jobs.

“Not only would the allocation of the 700MHz band to mobile generate significant economic benefits to the country, it could bring about significant social benefits, including improved wealth distribution and cultural diversity, developmental services such as education and healthcare,” said Michael Meyer, Partner and Managing Director of BCG.

If the NBTC instead decides to use the spectrum for broadcasting, cross-border interference would become an issue with Thailand’s neighbours — Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar — all of which are likely to roll out mobile services in the band. Interference will reduce the quality of service or interrupt service completely at national borders. Overall, spectrum fragmentation could lead to a collective US$3.4 billion loss of incremental GDP and 96,000 fewer jobs in those countries.¹

Recommendations for the Regulator
The GSMA therefore calls on the NBTC to communicate a complete plan for the transition to digital television, which will establish market clarity and confidence for the wider mobile ecosystem. The plan should include:

1. An official commitment to allocate the 700MHz band (698MHz to 806MHz) to mobile broadband services;
2. Adoption of the multi-regionally harmonised APT 700MHz 2x45MHz FDD band plan, with an upper limit for DTT set at 694MHz;
3. A policy and time frame for the analogue broadcasting switch-off (ASO); and
4. A policy and time frame for consolidating (or restacking) the DTT spectrum below 694MHz.

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Note to editors
¹Boston Consulting Group, March 2013, ‘Socio-Economic Benefits of Assigning the Digital Dividend to Mobile in Thailand’

About the Digital Switchover: The switchover to digital terrestrial television (DTT) can bring viewers a greater number of programmes with better quality and new services such as interactivity and high-definition TV (HDTV). This improvement is because digital television transmissions are much more spectrum-efficient than analogue transmissions. For example, using the same bandwidth as one analogue programme, a digital transmission could carry up to 20 digital programmes of equivalent quality, according to the ITU. Hence, the transition to digital television can accommodate an expansion of the broadcasting service and free up spectrum for other uses. The transition to DTT is international best practice and has started, and even been completed, in many countries.

About Regional Harmonisation: In February 2013, the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore jointly declared their intentions to use the 700MHz Digital Dividend for the deployment of mobile broadband services, in harmonisation with the APT band plan. Other ASEAN countries that support the APT band plan include Brunei, Indonesia and Vietnam. For mobile, the benefits of spectrum harmonisation are fourfold:

• Mobile devices cost less, as larger device markets enable manufacturers to achieve economies of scale
• With larger markets comes greater consumer choice
• Cross-border interference issues are minimised
• International mobile roaming is enabled for visitors entering the country and citizens travelling abroad

About the GSMA
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

Media Contacts:
Ms.Rungnapa Charnwiset (Bangkok)
+66 81 494 8131
rungnapa@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

European eCall Legislation Will Accelerate the Growth of Connected Car Services by Mandating Embedded Mobile Technology

London: The GSMA today issued research that details the disruptive impact embedded mobile technology will have on the automobile industry, revolutionising the motoring experience and helping to create a connected car market worth almost €40 billion globally in 2018, up from €13 billion in 2012¹. According to research firm SBD, €32.6 billion of revenues – 83 percent of the total – will be driven by the growth of embedding SIM technology into new vehicles to enable mobile connectivity. This will encourage a range of mobile-based services around safety, security, infotainment, traffic information, navigation and vehicle diagnostics. SBD predicts that most, if not all, new cars will have some form of connectivity by 2025, due largely to the rapid growth of embedded mobile technology.

The growth of the connected car market will also be boosted by the European Commission’s selection of ‘embedded mobile’ for its eCall in-vehicle emergency call services mandate, in place of alternative connectivity means such as smartphone integration or tethered solutions. The initiative requires all new car models in member states from 2015 to have fitted the European eCall system, which will connect a vehicle to emergency services following a collision and provide vital location and impact information. The mandate’s impact in Europe will be felt almost immediately, with eCall sales in 2016 expected to reach 7 million units.

“Embedding mobile technology in cars will not only save lives, but also drive a range of new services and provide a significant revenue opportunity for the mobile and automotive industries,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “The rapid growth of this market will be driven in part by positive regulatory action, particularly in Europe and in emerging markets such as Russia and Brazil. We are in the midst of a connected car revolution and it is vital that the mobile and automotive industries work together to deliver scalable and pervasive connected experiences and ensure this market reaches its potential.”

Sales of new cars are expected to reach more than 100 million² globally by 2018, more than 35 million³ of which will be shipped with embedded mobile technology, representing a 31 percent penetration rate and far outstripping growth of alternative connectivity means. By contrast, 21 million cars will be fitted with smartphone integration (18 percent) and just 10 million with tethered solutions (nine percent). The rapid growth of the connected car market will result in associated revenues three times larger in 2018 than in 2012, comprising:

• €24.5 billion from in-vehicle services, such as traffic information, call centre support and web-based entertainment (up from €9.3 billion in 2012)
• €6.9 billion from the sale of hardware, such as telematics control units (up from €1.2 billion in 2012)
• €4.5 billion from the delivery of telematics services, such as customer relationship management, (up from €1.8 billion in 2012)
• €4.1 billion from the provision of connectivity, which includes revenues from mobile data (up from €814 million in 2012)

Due to regulatory mandates such as eCall, safety and security will be the most common services supported by connected cars, shipping in 41.7 million vehicles globally in 2018, up from 7 million in 2012. In-car infotainment services such as news, weather, social networking and music streaming are expected to be supported by 32.1 million cars (up from 4.3 million in 2012), with navigation services set to ship in 28.5 million cars in 2018, compared with 5.12 million in 2012. Vehicle management applications, such as remote diagnostics and maintenance, will be supported by 14.8 million cars, compared with 5.5 million in 2012.

With greater demand for new cars in emerging nations, legislative action in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will also be pivotal drivers of the connected car market. Regulators in Russia are set to deploy legislation for new cars and trucks to ship with embedded mobile systems that will alert the emergency services in the event of an accident. Sales of cars with embedded connectivity should also be boosted by regulation in Brazil that stipulates that all new vehicles are equipped with stolen vehicle tracking systems.

“The growth of the connected car market is also being aided by key initiatives such as the GSMA’s Connected Car Forum, where leading mobile operators and automakers come together to overcome barriers to growth and to improve the speed and uptake of telematics and infotainment services,” said O’Hara. “As a result, not only will mobile operators play a major role in connecting all new cars by 2025, they are also well positioned to move further up the value chain and provide innovative value added services to their customers.”

For more information on SBD’s forecasts, please see www.gsma.com/connectedliving/connected-car-forecast-next-five-years.

For more information about the GSMA’s mAutomotive programme, please visit http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/mautomotive.

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Notes to Editors
¹These figures, which are based on a comprehensive service-by-service analysis, represent a revision of the top-down forecasts in the March 2012 whitepaper, 2025 Every Car Connected: Forecasting the Growth and Opportunity, jointly published by the GSMA and SBD.

²LMC forecasts

³Regional breakdown of cars shipping with embedded mobile technology 2012-2018

About the GSMA
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.

Media Contact
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

GSMA Calls on EU Member States to Provide Routing Information to Mobile Operators to Ensure eCall Services are Managed Effectively

Brussels: The GSMA today welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation on technology for the pan-European eCall regulation. The European Commission has selected ‘embedded mobile’ for its in-vehicle emergency call services mandate over other connectivity means such as smartphone integration or tethered solutions. The regulation requires all new models of cars in Member States to have eCall fitted from 2015, which will connect a vehicle to emergency services following a collision and provide vital location and impact information. This will speed the arrival of emergency teams by an estimated 40 per cent in urban areas and 50 per cent in rural areas and could help save up to 2,500 lives in the EU annually.

Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA, said: “The GSMA fully supports the European Commission’s recommendation to utilise embedded mobile technology for eCall services. Not only will eCall save lives, but the rapid growth of the connected car market will be driven in part by this positive regulatory action. A critical next step is for Member States to provide mobile operators with routing information within a reasonable time period. This will allow operators to put the necessary processes in place to ensure eCall messages connect with the correct emergency call centre and local services.”

The successful deployment of eCall requires Member States to put in place a framework for their Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), or emergency call centres, to effectively route eCall messages and maintain technical compatibility, interoperability and continuity. Not every emergency call centre across the EU will be optimised for eCall, therefore Member States need to tell mobile operators which PSAPs have been optimised, as it will not always be the closest call centre to an incident, so that eCall messages are routed correctly.

The GSMA is a long-term supporter of eCall and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Commission in 2009 signifying its commitment to collaborate with other stakeholders to realise the initiative. It is also a member of the European eCall Implementation Platform, which brings together Member States and primary stakeholders.

For more information about the GSMA’s mAutomotive programme, see http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/mautomotive.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA
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.

Media Contact
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

‘GSMA Intelligence’ Unveiled as a Premier Source of Industry Data and Analysis, Serving Operators, Vendors, Vertical Industries and Consumers

London: The GSMA today launched GSMA Intelligence, a powerful new data and analysis resource serving the mobile industry. The online portal provides the industry’s most comprehensive set of data points, covering every mobile operator in every country worldwide, alongside market insights produced by a team of experienced industry analysts and experts. The GSMA Intelligence portal is available at https://gsmaintelligence.com

“The mobile industry is one of the most dynamic and transformative technology markets ever, evolving at an unprecedented pace,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “This dynamism presents many opportunities and challenges for players across the mobile ecosystem and the GSMA is in a unique position to provide the intelligence and insights that organisations require to drive future growth and innovation. We’re excited to be addressing this key issue with today’s launch of GSMA Intelligence.”

“GSMA Intelligence enables the GSMA to support strategic decision-making within the industry through the provision of credible market information and analysis,” said Hyunmi Yang, Chief Strategy Officer of the GSMA. “It is critical that industry leaders have accurate and relevant information at their fingertips – the GSMA Intelligence platform will serve this need, making sense of the data and highlighting the trends that matter most for their businesses.”

GSMA Intelligence offers functions tailored to all stakeholders within the mobile ecosystem, including telecom operators, vendors, internet players, vertical industries, governments and regulators, and academic institutions. It also offers new ‘free-to-use’ features designed to engage the billions of individual mobile users worldwide.

GSMA Intelligence centralises the GSMA’s market-leading data and analysis capabilities on a single platform. It is comprised of several components:

• Data & Forecasts: GSMA Intelligence offers the definitive source of mobile operator data and forecasting, relied on by a customer base of over 800 of the world’s leading mobile operators, as well as other key industry players. The datasets are the most authoritative available, widely used as a benchmark within the industry and cited by the media, providing a long-term view on the industry. With over 13 million individual data points (updated daily), the service provides coverage of the performance of all 1,140 operators and 1,153 MVNOs across 3,505 networks, 65 groups and 236 countries worldwide.
• Analysis & Insights: The GSMA Intelligence research team comprises prominent industry analysts, academics and data experts, producing regular qualitative reports across a range of industry topics that serve to tell the stories behind the numbers.
• Mobile for Development Intelligence: An open portal that tracks the economic, environmental and social impact of mobile solutions in the developing world. Its research is aimed at identifying and accelerating investment opportunities in the emerging markets to support the development of mobile services that drive significant customer benefits.
• Documents Library: The GSMA Intelligence Documents Library is an unrivalled collection of industry reports, surveys and papers, supported by an intuitive and powerful search engine. Alongside an archive of the weekly and monthly GSMA Intelligence analyst reports, the library also comprises proprietary GSMA research, as well as selected work by consulting firms and other industry bodies.
• Real-time Feed: The GSMA Intelligence ‘Feed’ provides market insight and data in real time as it is reported by the industry. The Feed uniquely collates contextual snippets and graphs directly sourced from mobile companies and trusted media sources, providing an instant snapshot of key industry trends, informing and enabling real-time decisions.

A basic GSMA Intelligence service is now available free of charge, offering access to the market Dashboards, which provide a ‘snapshot’ of every mobile market worldwide, listing the key in-market metrics and players. Also free-to-use is a new tool called the Timeline, which tracks the evolution of the mobile industry in an engaging and interactive way, providing an introduction to the industry for the billions of mobile users worldwide.

The full commercial subscription offers unrestricted access to all datasets, reports and platform features. GSMA members can access the full service at a significantly reduced rate.

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About the GSMA
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

Media Contact
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com
GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

Announces Additional Speakers, Exhibitors, Sponsors and Partners for Shanghai Event

London: The GSMA today provided further updates on the 2013 Mobile Asia Expo, which will take place 26-28 June at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC) in Shanghai. The GSMA named several new speakers presenting in the conference programme, introduced three new pavilions in the Expo and also announced additional companies that will be showcasing their products on the exhibition floor. The GSMA also confirmed additional partners participating in the first NFC Experience at Mobile Asia Expo, as well as in the Innovation Labs and App Planet.

“We are excited to be welcoming the mobile industry to Shanghai in just over three weeks,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Mobile Asia Expo is set to be an outstanding event, offering all attendees a wide variety of programmes, activities and experiences. From the exhibition floor, which includes the Connected City and the NFC Experience, to the conference programme featuring mobile industry leaders, to specialised programmes, meetings and events, Mobile Asia Expo will showcase the latest innovations and thought leadership for the region.”

Leading Executives to Take the Stage
The GSMA announced a number of new speakers presenting in the Mobile Asia Expo conference programme, including several CEOs and senior leaders from companies across the mobile ecosystem as well as adjacent industries. Newly confirmed keynote speakers include:

• Guohua Xi, Chairman, China Mobile
• Sanqi Li, Chief Technology Officer – Carrier Networks, Huawei
• Mark Shuttleworth, Founder, Ubuntu

The following executives will also be speaking in the two-day conference:

• Supun Weerasinghe, Group Chief Strategy Officer, Axiata Group
• Bill Huang, General Manager, China Mobile Research Centre, China Mobile
• Shan Changsheng, Senior Engineer, Deputy General Manager, China UnionPay
• Greg Baxter, Global Head of Digital Strategy, Citi
• George Held, Vice President, Commerce, Etisalat
• Vaughan Smith, Vice President, Corporate Development, Facebook
• Selina Lo, President and CEO, Ruckus Wireless
• Caspar Luyten, Chief Regional Officer, Telefónica Asia

For the full list of confirmed speakers as well as the detailed conference agenda, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/conference.

NFC Experience: Bringing NFC Technology to Life
Mobile Asia Expo attendees with an NFC-enabled mobile phone will be able to take advantage of NFC technology at locations throughout the exhibition and at the Kerry Centre and nearby Kerry Shopping Centre. Through the NFC Experience, attendees will be able to download information and maps, try NFC vending machines, interact with smart posters, join in an NFC treasure hunt throughout the Expo and purchase food and beverages. Supporting partners for the NFC Experience include Samsung, Huawei, China UnionPay, Sandpay, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Shanghai COS Software Co., Ltd, joining previously announced Official Operator Partner China Mobile. For more information on the NFC Experience, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/nfc-experience/.

New Additions to Mobile Asia Expo Exhibition
The GSMA announced several new exhibitors including Amazon China, Angry Birds with Christie Digital, Dell, Facebook, Movirtu and Samsung. The Expo will also feature a number of pavilions and zones focused on specific topics or regions. The Innovation Pavilion is led by Exhibition Partner WI Harper and will include GCT Semiconductor, Just Will Studio, Maxthon Ltd., Roam & Wander, QuickBird and Quixey. DVBCN is the Exhibition Partner for the Mobile Entertainment Pavilion, with China Network Television, Coship Electronics Co, Ltd. and Yancheng BiggiFi Technology Development Co., Ltd. among the exhibitors there. Companies participating as part of the Augmented Reality Pavilion include Metaio, Senscape and Total Immersion. For full information on the Expo, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/expo-overview/.

App Planet: New ADCs and App Lab Sessions
App Planet presents a unique opportunity for attendees to explore the many dimensions of the ever-changing and critically important mobile apps market. The GSMA OneAPI initiative will hold an application developer conference (ADC) on Wednesday, 26 June, while Acision will host a half-day ADC on Thursday, 27 June. In the App Lab, BesTV will present three sessions on Thursday, 27 June, joining Platinum Sponsor SAP who will present a full day of sessions on Wednesday, 26 June. The Mobile Gaming Forum, on Friday, 28 June, will feature key stakeholders from across the mobile and gaming ecosystems who will share their visions for the future of mobile gaming. The Mobile Gaming Forum is sponsored by SOCO Games and Supporting Sponsor is GMGC. FabriQate will also present sessions in the App Lounge on Friday, 28 June, exploring the features and functionality of Google Glass. For more information, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/app-planet.

Updates for the Innovation Labs
The GSMA announced new sponsors and presenting companies in the Innovation Labs, an open stage located on the Mobile Asia Expo exhibition where companies can highlight products, technologies and services, as well as strategies to meet the needs of the mobile ecosystem. Platinum Sponsors for the Innovation Labs include Orange for Innovation Lab One and FingerQ for Innovation Lab Two. New companies scheduled to present Innovation Lab sessions are FabriQate, Freescale, GCT Semiconductor, GT Advanced Technologies, Just Will Studio, MobileMonday, MUBIQUO, Orange, Roam & Wander, QuickBird and Quixey. For more information, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/innovation-labs/.

Exploring Intellectual Property Rights
For the first time, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and the GSMA will be joining together to host the ETSI-GSMA Intellectual Property Rights Summit 2013 at Mobile Asia Expo. This meeting will gather Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) experts from leading operators and manufacturers across the globe, providing an opportunity to address the IPR challenges affecting the telecommunications industry today. The ETSI-GSMA Intellectual Property Rights Summit is sponsored by Freshfields, Kenyon & Kenyon and Powell Gilbert. The invite-only Summit will take place 26-28 June, with the full-day programme of IPR panel discussions on Thursday, 27 June open to all Mobile Asia Expo attendees. For more information, including the agenda and how to attend, please visit http://www.mobileasiaexpo.com/ipr-forum/.

Become Part of the Connected Life
All registered Mobile Asia Expo 2013 attendees will be automatically entered into the ‘Win a Connected Life’ prize draw, which will take place daily in the Connected City in Hall N1. One winner each day will be selected to receive all of the following prizes: a Cisco CVR 100W wireless router, a KT Kibot2, a Samsung Galaxy tablet and a Sony Xperia Z. Three runners-up each day will receive an iPad Mini. For more information on the prize draw and the Connected City, visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com/connected-city/.

Partners Offer Broad Support for Mobile Asia Expo
Strategic Partners for Mobile Asia Expo include China Mobile Communications Association (CMCA), Internet Marketing Committee of China (IMCC), Shanghai Communication Industry Association (SCIA) and Telecommunication Terminal Testing Technology Association (TAF). Official Media Partners include BesTV, Shanghai Media Group (SMG), CNBC and Sina. China Mobile is the Platinum Event Sponsor for Mobile Asia Expo.

For more information on Mobile Asia Expo 2013, including details on how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, please visit www.mobileasiaexpo.com.

-ENDS-

About the GSMA
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

Media Contact:
Charlie Meredith-Hardy (UK)
+44 207 067 0647
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

Palmer Wang (Beijing)
+86 10 8569 9946
pwang@webershandwick.com

Ava Lau (Hong Kong)
+852 2533 9928
alau@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

mHealth Can Improve Lifestyles, Enable Remote Treatment of Chronic Conditions and Equip Healthcare Providers to Make Better Clinical Decisions

London: The GSMA today published research that demonstrates the significant socio-economic impact that mHealth adoption will have in Europe. Findings reveal that mHealth could save almost €100 billion in healthcare costs in the EU by 2017 as well as add €93 billion in GDP. The new GSMA report, developed in partnership with PwC, also indicated that, by using mHealth solutions to their full potential, by 2017 healthcare systems in the EU could:

Recognise huge cost savings

• Lower the total annual per capita EU healthcare spend for patients benefitting from mHealth solutions by 18 percent, or €537
• Reduce care costs for chronic conditions by 30 to 35 per cent through improved treatment compliance and remote patient monitoring

Improve lifestyles

• Help 185 million patients lead healthier lives and gain a combined 158,000 extra years of life
• Empower almost 23 million people that either have a chronic disease or are at risk of developing one to improve their condition through preventive measures and lifestyle improvements
• Provide 9.4 million people at risk of developing chronic diseases with access to earlier diagnosis, and enable 11 million chronic patients and nine million elderly patients to benefit from remote treatment and monitoring

Enhance resource efficiency

• Accommodate the treatment of an additional 24.5 million patients without requiring more doctors or new healthcare facilities
• Address the shortage of doctors across the EU by saving a combined 42 million doctor working days in 2017, extending treatment to an additional 126 million patients
• Help more than 18 million patients suffering from chronic diseases or at risk of developing them to stay healthier and improve their productivity, contributing a further €5,139 each (€93 billion in total) to EU GDP

“The growing prevalence of chronic diseases, the relatively high cost of healthcare and an ageing population means many countries in the EU are experiencing a healthcare resource crisis that mobile technology can help relieve,” said Michael O’Hara, Chief Marketing Officer, GSMA. “Better access to healthcare services and the cost efficiencies driven by mHealth will help EU economies deliver sustainable and effective healthcare systems. However, much more needs to be done by regulators and governments within the EU to incentivise, encourage and drive the adoption of mHealth for the benefit of all the region’s citizens.”

Overcoming barriers to adoption
Unless the multiple barriers – regulatory, economic, structural and technological – that prevent mHealth from being adopted commercially and achieving scale are removed, the adoption of mHealth could be limited to about 10 per cent of its potential in 2017. This will restrict the realisation of benefits to five per cent of their potential. The impact means:

• Healthcare savings across the EU would be limited to €6.6 billion, instead of the almost €100 billion predicted in 2017
• Only €6.5 billion will be added to EU GDP by 2017, compared to the potential €93 billion
• Only 11.2 million patients of the potential 185 million would benefit from mHealth

The key to harnessing the potential of mHealth lies with governments, regulators and payers, such as insurers, creating the right environment for growth and paving the way for its adoption. Key actions that could help drive this adoption include:

• Integration of mHealth within the nationwide healthcare strategies of EU countries to align the development of mHealth services with country-specific healthcare priorities
• Creation of policies and frameworks that encourage deployment of innovative mHealth solutions and provide clarity on certification and routes to market, while ensuring trust, quality and end-user safety.
• Creation of innovative and sustainable incentives that encourage both healthcare providers and patients to adopt mHealth solutions
• Raising awareness and providing education on mHealth for healthcare professionals, patients and consumers.

To effectively implement these recommendations, the GSMA is calling on all key stakeholders to act urgently to help ensure that the potential benefits of mHealth can be realised to meet the current and future healthcare challenges in EU countries.

To view the report and for more information on the GSMA’s mHealth programme, please visit: www.gsma.com/connectedliving/socio-economic-impact-of-mhealth.

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About the GSMA
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.

Media Contacts:
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

London: Tom Phillips, Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer, GSMA, offered the following statement on roaming regulation in response to Commissioner Kroes’ address to the European Parliament on Thursday, 30 May:

“Last week, the GSMA issued a major report in association with Navigant Economics that highlighted that Europe’s mobile market has fallen significantly behind that of the United States. If not addressed, the stalling of mobile investment and innovation in Europe will be a major roadblock to economic recovery.

“The GSMA encourages the Commissioner to keep her focus on the big picture and to make bold and long-term recommendations. In this regard, it is unfortunate that the Commissioner should have used her recent platform with parliament to talk about roaming. Roaming has seen three successive waves of regulation, with Europe’s regulators and mobile companies intensively implementing the latest requirements. The Commissioner should immediately clarify her intentions with regard to roaming, to avoid the industry investing in a roaming solution that has been superseded before it is launched.”

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Notes to Editors
The press release is available at http://www.gsma.com/newsroom/new-gsma-report and the full report, “Mobile Wireless Performance in the EU and U.S.” is available at http://www.gsmamobilewirelessperformance.com

About the GSMA
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

Media contacts:
For the GSMA:
William Parker-Jenkins (Brussels)
32 (0) 490 443 977
williamparker@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

GSMA Urges Major Regulatory Reform to Spur New Investment and Innovation, Including the Assignment of New Spectrum and the Removal of Hurdles to Market Consolidation

London: The GSMA today released a new report, “Mobile Wireless Performance in the EU and U.S.”, that examines the health of the European mobile market and reveals that Europe now lags far behind the United States in the deployment of next-generation mobile technologies and the advanced services made possible through mobile. The report, developed in collaboration with Navigant Economics, explores the many factors that have contributed to Europe’s lost mobile leadership and offers policy recommendations designed to re-establish the EU as a centre for mobile investment and innovation.

“Europe was the early leader in mobile, with a wide range of companies pioneering the innovation that now benefits more than 3.2 billion men and women around the world,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “However, this report confirms the very sobering reality that Europe has lost its edge in mobile and is significantly underperforming other advanced economies, including the United States. While there are many factors that have contributed to Europe’s current position, it is clear that enlightened policy reforms could bring improvement, creating substantial benefits for EU consumers and driving economic growth.”

Comparison of Two Mobile Markets: EU vs. U.S.
As recently as five years ago, the European mobile market was performing as well as, or even better than, the United States. However, since then, the situation has dramatically reversed, as shown by the report’s striking comparison of the two markets:

• On average, U.S. consumers spend more each month than their EU counterparts and use mobile services much more intensely, consuming five times more voice minutes and nearly twice as much data.
• The U.S. has opened up a large lead in deployment of next-generation technologies; by the end of 2013, nearly 20 per cent of U.S. connections will be on LTE networks, compared to fewer than two per cent in the EU.
• Average mobile data connection speeds in the U.S. are now 75 per cent faster than those in Europe and by 2017 will be more than twice as fast.
• Mobile investment in the United States has outpaced that in Europe, with capital expenditure in the U.S. growing by 70 per cent since 2007 while declining in the EU and the gap continues to widen.

“While there are several factors leading to this divergent performance, it can be partially attributed to the relatively inefficient structure of mobile markets in Europe,” said Jeffrey Eisenach, Managing Director at Navigant Economics. “EU regulatory policies have resulted in a fragmented market structure that prevents operators from capturing beneficial economies of scale and scope and inhibits the growth of the mobile ecosystem.”

Focus on Facilitating Investment and Innovation
Fundamental regulatory reforms are needed to restore growth in the European mobile industry. In particular, a focus on facilitating investment and innovation, rather than on the direct management of prices, is needed. The GSMA offers the following recommendations to create a new, progressive regulatory environment that matches the current economic reality:

Prioritise Spectrum Allocation and Harmonisation – The European Commission’s immediate priority should be to address the slow progress being made on the release of the first Digital Dividend, where the majority of Member States have missed the allocation deadline. In the coming years, Europe faces a significant spectrum shortfall that must be addressed now. It is critical that the European Commission ensures the allocation of the 700MHz band for future mobile broadband services and, importantly, that it is released in line with internationally harmonised band plans.

Enable Efficient Consolidation – The Commission should reduce impediments to the efficient consolidation of mobile markets by streamlining merger reviews and taking a more cautious approach to the imposition of remedies. Discrimination in favour of new entrants should be discontinued and market forces should be allowed to determine the optimum number of players.

Drive the European Single Market for Mobile – The European single market for mobile could act as a key enabler for growth. The GSMA believes the European Commission must launch a major regulation exercise to establish a light-touch, simplified approach to pan-European regulation. This would entail a complete review of the way regulation is implemented at a national level and would identify areas that could be more effectively coordinated at a European level, such as consumer protection. Incentives to kick-start broadband investment should be introduced immediately, including the elimination of planning and network sharing restrictions and the provision of subsidies for rural coverage.

Attract Investment and Innovation to Europe – The European Commission should immediately create a bold plan that will position Europe as a centre for mobile innovation and investment, refocusing its policies on fostering innovation and leveraging the unique potential of the single market. The Commission should create a series of pan-European, visionary, mobile-enabled public/private partnership initiatives aimed at stimulating growth, building social inclusion and promoting investment in new technology and services.

“We believe that undertaking these major policy reforms is essential in re-establishing the leadership of Europe in mobile, driving new growth and investment in our industry and, more importantly, generating important socio-economic benefits for citizens across the EU,” added Bouverot.

The full report is available at http://www.gsmamobilewirelessperformance.com/.

- ENDS -

About the GSMA
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.

Media Contacts:
Charlie Meredith-Hardy
+44 (0)7810 050 576
CMeredith-Hardy@webershandwick.com

GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com

London: Tom Phillips, Chief Government and Regulatory Affairs Officer, GSMA, offered the following statement regarding the United Arab Emirates’ decision to allocate the 700MHz and 800MHz (the Digital Dividend) spectrum bands to mobile, maximising spectrum harmonisation within the region and globally:

“The UAE regulator, TRA, has demonstrated outstanding leadership and vision with its decision to allocate new spectrum bands for mobile broadband services, by moving quickly to allocate both the 700MHz and 800MHz bands to mobile. The mobile broadband market in the Arab States is set to increase by 255 per cent by 2017 to 142 million connections, with the potential to generate US$108 billion in GDP between 2015 and 2025. With such clear economic benefits, we hope other markets will follow quickly with similar decisions.

“Combining the 800MHz band plan for Europe, Middle East and Africa with the lower portion of the Asia Pacific (APT) 700MHz band is a significant step forward. Spectrum harmonisation delivers multiple advantages, including generating much-needed economies of scale, facilitating near-global roaming and limiting interference along borders. This will ultimately provide a broader choice of devices and more affordable mobile broadband services to the citizens of the UAE and across the Arab States.”

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Notes to Editors
Details of the announcement by the UAE Regulator TRA can be found here

Interview with Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director of Spectrum and International Affairs at the TRA on shaping international spectrum policy can be found here: http://www.gsma.com/spectrum/digital-dividend-qa-uae

Translation
Arabic

About the GSMA
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

Media Contacts:
GSMA Press Office
press@gsma.com