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

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

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.

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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

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

In the United States, mobile operator capital expenditure was 74 per cent higher in 2012 than in 2007, while in Europe, it had declined by three per cent. Little wonder then that 4G connections as a percentage of total connections are in the high teens in the United States, but have not exceeded the single digits in Europe.

These greater levels of investment are translating into faster data connections. Average speeds in the United States are now 75 per cent faster than in Europe, one reason why American consumers use twice as much data then their European counterparts and generate average revenues per subscriber of around $70 per month, more than $30 greater than the average in Europe.

The United Sates is outperforming due in some part to the market structure that enables operators to benefit from economies of scale and scope. In stark contrast, market fragmentation in Europe prevents such economies from being realised. Both Verizon and AT&T each have more subscribers than the three largest European operators combined. Fragmentation – 27 markets with different rules, license terms and timings of spectrum allocation – also limits consumer choice.

Regulation in the United States has clearly incentivised greater investment with firms seeking out competitive advantages where they can. The prevailing regulatory logic is that the mobile ecosystem is dynamic in nature and so intervention is not required to keep a firm’s advantage in check. Companies there are vying to offer consumers products with new and more valuable features, a process which includes making significant, and sometimes risky, investments.

In Europe, regulation has focused on a more static view of the market, one where firms compete but must do so on an equal basis, where consumer price deflation is the primary goal. Sure enough, today operators in some European markets are pricing below the cost of providing the service. This is simply unsustainable.

If the European Commission is to reverse this situation, it needs to review both competition and regulatory policy.

Increasing the number of competitors in dynamic markets can lower consumers’ welfare by reducing incentives of all firms to innovate and invest. The Commission should review its mergers policy with a view to reducing impediments to efficient consolidation by simplifying merger reviews and taking a more cautious approach to the imposition of remedies. Allowing efficient consolidation can provide incentives for investment, facilitate a more integrated mobile ecosystem and improve consumer welfare.

Regulatory reform should look to ensure a harmonisation of spectrum policy across Member States, including a coordinated release of spectrum in a narrow window, foregoing discrimination in favour of new entrants, and creating 
a presumption of license renewal with flexible ownership rights. Policy should be refocused on enhancing dynamic competition and fostering innovation rather than preserving competitors and achieving short-term price cuts.

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.

At Mobile World Congress 2013, the GSMA unveiled the Connected City – a real city street that demonstrated the impact of mobile on people’s everyday lives – and is now bringing the Connected City to Mobile Asia Expo. Drawing on the developments that have put the Asia region at the forefront of connected device and service uptake, the GSMA Connected City at Mobile Asia Expo 2013 will enable attendees to stroll down a city street of the future and experience the ‘Connected Life’ powered by intelligent mobile connections.

In partnership with China Mobile, Cisco, Ford Motor Company, Huawei, KT Corp. and SAP, the Connected City will be a life-like urban environment where attendees will experience how these companies are making homes smarter, motoring more intelligent, shopping easier and city living safer in the largest and most forward-thinking mobile market in the world. Each area will bring together the latest in cutting-edge products and services to demonstrate how a connected future, driven by mobile, will simplify and enhance people’s everyday lives.

For the first time at Mobile Asia Expo, attendees will be able to take advantage of a wide range integrated mobile NFC services. Attendees with NFC-enabled handsets will be able to utilise NFC technology at locations throughout the SNIEC and the adjacent Kerry Hotel. In addition, more than a dozen NFC Experience Zones will be strategically placed around the Expo, enabling attendees with NFC handsets to download information and maps, test out NFC vending machines, interact with smart posters and join in an NFC treasure hunt throughout the Expo. Attendees can use also NFC handsets to receive discount offers and purchase products in the nearby shopping mall.

And let’s not forget the conference programme! The 2013 Mobile Asia Expo conference programme will comprise visionary keynotes and breakout sessions providing essential insights on current and future trends impacting the ever-changing mobile industry. Keynote sessions will focus on mobile operator strategies, mobile broadband technologies and big data. Breakout sessions will examine areas such as applications, business transformation, connected living, devices, mobile cloud, mobile money, mobile in retail and advertising, NFC, small cells and social media, among others.

For those who are interested in the latest app development trends, App Planet will offer insights into 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.

Finally, all pre-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.

Don’t miss this and much more at Mobile Asia Expo – we hope to see you in Shanghai!

And don’t forget – you can keep up with all developments around Mobile Asia Expo 2013 by following us on social media. This year the hashtag will be #MAE13 while you can find us on all the major social media presences including Tencent Weibo, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – you can find all our presences here http://gsma.at/14sF3wC

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.

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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 (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

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

“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

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/.

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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