GSMA calls for coordinated, investment-friendly policy to protect critical connectivity, as new research reveals the growing financial and societal costs of severe weather.
November 2026, London: Severe storms and floods already cost mobile operators $1.7 billion annually in cell-site infrastructure repairs and replacement, and these costs could nearly double to more than $3 billion a year by 2050 under projected mid-century climate conditions. These are the findings of a new report by the GSMA, Futureproofing Connectivity: Climate Risk and Resilience in Telecommunications, released today.
In response to these growing risks, the GSMA has published a new set of policy principles for mobile network resilience. The principles show how coordinated, risk-based and investment-friendly approaches strengthen connectivity against extreme weather, power failures, natural disasters and geopolitical disruption.
Together, the report and the principles show that mobile network resilience is vital to economies, public services and national security, as these are the networks governments, emergency services and citizens rely on most when disasters strike. They highlight the crucial role of streamlined policy and regulation in supporting sustained investment, innovation, and importantly, coordination across critical infrastructure sectors.
John Giusti, GSMA Chief Regulatory Officer and President of the GSMA Foundation, said: “Mobile connectivity is essential infrastructure. Whether responding to extreme weather, power failures or other major disruptions, people, businesses and emergency services depend heavily on mobile networks.
“Operators continue to make huge investments in ensuring network resilience, as the threats are becoming more complex and interconnected. Severe weather is already costing the industry billions of dollars, and those costs are set to rise substantially. Building resilience will require a coordinated effort amongst operators, governments and the wider ecosystem.”
Climate change illustrates the growing cost of disruption
The GSMA report provides new evidence of the financial and societal consequences of severe weather.
Severe storms account for the largest share of these costs, at around $1 billion annually. By 2050, storm-related costs alone could reach approximately $2.4 billion a year. The report cautions that these figures are conservative, excluding damage to fixed networks, other hazards such as wildfire and extreme heat, as well as wider costs including lost revenues, service restoration, increased energy requirements and rising insurance premiums.
Analysis of more than 50 countries found that major storms and floods coincided with an average of approximately 150 telecommunications outages annually between 2022 and 2024, directly affecting just under 215 million service users each year.
As seen in the GSMA’s recent Mobile Investment Needs in Europe report, mobile operators already invest extensively in network hardening, backup power, redundant connections, emergency roaming arrangements and rapid-response capabilities. However, the GSMA warns that resilience increasingly depends on infrastructure and services beyond operators’ direct control, especially power, transport networks and fuel.
The findings identify electricity supply as a major systemic vulnerability, with severe weather frequently disrupting mobile services through power failures rather than direct damage to telecommunications equipment.
The report notes that operators face an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, with requirements spanning telecommunications, critical infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and climate-related reporting frameworks.
Five principles for stronger mobile network resilience
In response, the GSMA’s Policy Principles for Mobile Network Resilience sets out five priorities to guide governments and regulators when developing effective resilience frameworks:
1. Avoid prescriptive regulation and promote outcome-based policy that supports sustained investment. Regulation should focus on practical resilience outcomes, not rigid technical requirements, so operators can invest in solutions that best address local risks.
2. Build upon resilience by design. Operators should have the flexibility to choose technologies and build resilience into network planning and investment from the outset, including for future climate risks.
3. Consult early and design with operational reality. Governments and regulators should engage operators on resilience obligations, reflecting practical costs and timescales while avoiding overlapping or conflicting requirements.
4. Develop resilience policy as a cross-sector responsibility. Resilience requires coordinated planning between mobile operators, governments, emergency services, energy providers and other critical infrastructure sectors, before, during and after major incidents.
5. Enhance trust through clarity, transparency and continuity. Clear responsibilities, effective public communications and reliable access to essential services during emergencies are critical to maintaining public confidence and protecting vulnerable users.
The GSMA also stresses that regulatory certainty and proportionate obligations are essential for long-term investment. Where requirements exceed operators’ risk-based investment plans, governments should consider appropriate incentives, funding or cost-recovery measures.
-ENDS-
About the GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry and society thrive. Led by our members, we represent the interests of over 1,100 operators and businesses in the broader ecosystem. The GSMA also unites the industry at world-leading events, such as MWC in Barcelona, Kigali, Las Vegas and Shanghai and the M360 Series.
For more information, visit gsma.com.
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